Lethally Hot
by Toboe LoneWolf
Summary: A killer virus stalks the earth. Its new target: Yugi Motou. It's a race against time to save Yugi and his other self, delving into ancient pasts, labyrinths, and Yugi's own body. But Ebola Domino is the most lethal virus in the world...
1. The First 24 Hours

Summary: A killer virus stalks the earth. Its new target: Yugi Motou. It's a race against time to save Yugi and his other self, delving into ancient pasts, labyrinths, and Yugi's own body. But Ebola Domino is the most lethal virus in the world...

Disclaimer: I, Toboe LoneWolf, do not own Yu-Gi-Oh nor am I getting profit from or for writing this fanfic.  
**NOTE:** As of 4/28/05, this fanfic was seriously overhauled due to symbol usage and use of quotations. Quotations from _The Hot Zone_, various Egyptology books, and song lyrics. The original format can be found on mediaminer(dot)org under the pen name of Toboe LoneWolf. Where quotations have been previously placed Toboe LoneWolf has eithier deleted or combined and replaced them with her own writing, in tone and diction that is somewhat similar to the previous quote but again, her own writing. This applies for this chapter and all subsequent chapters.

Notes: //…// is a yami speaking to a hikari via mind-link; /…/ is hikari speaking to yami via mind-link; this goes for all chapters.  
_Originally posted as LoneWolf16, now Toboe LoneWolf. So I had a pen name change. This is still the weirdo fic. XD_

Oh yeah. This fic is rated PG-13 because I highly doubt kids under 13 would want to read about Ebola viruses ravaging the human body in grotesque ways…he he. But hey, if you want to freak out, fine by me.

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****

Lethally Hot

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It begins with a bite...

Chapter One: The First 24 Hours

A killer virus stalks the human race.

However, there is exactly one person who knows the cure.

Someone doesn't like that.

****

x x x x x

Yugi and the gang were walking from Burger Palace with full bellies, chatting like typical teenagers. However, Yugi noticed that Yami was being strangely quiet. Usually Yami would be calm and happy after doing things that normal teenagers do: eat, sleep, chat, hang out, etc. Most of the time Yami had to worry about saving the world and all that. After Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, Yami was overdue time to rest. But now Yami seemed concerned and worried yet again.

/Yami, is there something wrong?/

Yami sighed, within his soul room. //It's nothing…well, ever since we've left that burger place I've had this premonition that something was approaching. Something dark.//

/What? Again?/ Yugi stopped walking. /Um…that doesn't make much sense./

//I can't explain it,// Yami muttered in frustration. //I just know that something wrong is coming, something seriously- //

Joey noticed Yugi wasn't walking. "Hey, Yugi. What's wrong?"

Yugi rubbed the Puzzle. "The spirit's sensed something…"

Tristan blinked, and pointed at something behind Yugi. "Hey, look guys. It's a monkey."

Joey peered closely. "Whoa, check it out. It _is_ a monkey."

"_What?!?_" Tea exclaimed. She glanced at Joey and Tristan. "Is this some sort of a joke?"

Turning around, Yugi (and Yami) looked as well. The monkey was one of those small tiny brown types that you usually dismissed at the zoo except for their antics. Except _this_ monkey had red eyes, a gaping mouth, and lesions all over its skin. Not exactly one to be dismissed. The nose and even the eyes were dripping blood. This was a seriously sick monkey. Oh, and it was running straight towards them. It stared straight into Yugi's eyes, boring with blood-red eyes, closing the one-and-a-half block distance rapidly. Like it had an agenda. An agenda that had Yugi and the gang on the top of the list.

"Dude, that monkey's running straight for us…" Tristan took a few steps back. "I'm getting freaked out…"

//Run! Run, Yugi!//

Immediately Yugi turned back around and started running. "Run, you guys!"

The rest of the gang started running, but the monkey kept following them in silent chase. Not even making a screech or chatter that would be normal to its breed, only a relentless pursuit and bloody splatters as a trail… Pushing bewildered and scared passerby aside, trying to get _away_ from the monkey, and still the animal followed…

"Man, what the heck is wrong with that animal?" Joey panted. "It's still following us!"

Glancing back, Tea swallowed as she saw the bloody drool trailing out of the monkey's mouth. "Rabies?"

Tristan shook his head. "No way, it _can't_ be rabies, monkey's don't get rabies…"

"I ain't stayin' around to ask it. Run!"

Yugi gasped, trying to keep up. Even if he _had_ been exercising more, that didn't make up for his shorter legs. Yugi began to fall back. And the monkey was catching up.

"Hey! Wait…up…guys!" Yugi panted.

Joey turned around and saw Yugi falling behind. "Aww man! We forgot about Yugi!" Joey started to run back. (To do what, Joey had no clue; he certainly couldn't carry Yugi and get away from the monkey at the same time, but it's the thought that counts.)

The monkey had practically caught up to Yugi.

"YAMI!"

The millenium puzzle blazed, but the monkey opened up its mouth, with large, three inch fangs…

And bit Yami, not Yugi.

Yami screamed in pain as he felt fangs bite into his leg. Now, in the scheme of things, this was certainly a new experience for the three thousand year old pharaoh. One, he had a 30 pound monkey hanging onto his leg. Two, he had unfortunately not assumed control before the monkey caught up to his aibou and now he had to pay for it.

"MIND CRUSH!"

And with that, the poor, diseased, insane monkey flopped over dead. Yami wasn't feeling too merciful. Flipping his hand, Yami sent the body into the shadow realm to clean up. With surprising aplomb, Yami slowly sat down at the curb. Thankfully there were no strangers nearby; no need to worry about inadvertently scaring people with shadow magic…

"Yugi! I mean, Yami. Are you okay?" Joey asked Yami anxiously.

"I believe that I should go to a hospital for treatment." Yami pointed at his ravaged leg. Blood was dripping down, and there was a deep bite that made Tea almost sick to look at it.

"Guys, Yami definitely needs to get to a doctor. That monkey probably had rabies, and now Yugi's probably infected…" Tea said.

"Right! I'll call the hospital!" Tristan dashed into a nearby store.

****

x x x x x

"ARRGGH! Why does it have to take so long!" Joey ranted.

After an hour, the ambulance had still not arrived. Unfortunately, the monkey apparently had run loose for a good deal of time. That meant that the monkey ran around recklessly around Domino and created a great number of car accidents and traffic jams. Some people seem to think that swerving around and crashing into others to prevent running over a rabid monkey is a good thing. And as such, the ambulance couldn't get to Yugi because the monkey just _happened_ to have created a circle of jams around Yugi, and they were trapped until the police could untangle the mess.

Tristan stared off in the distance, hoping to see the ambulance if he just stared hard enough. "I seriously think that monkey knew what he was doing. I mean, how could there be jams in every direction, just from that one monkey?"

"Shh!" Tea waved. The cell phone was currently attached to her ear, listening for some news from the ambulance crew or the police. "Yeah! The police have finally gotten one road way free. They'll be here in about three minutes!"

//Yugi, I am very sorry that I didn't act sooner.//

Yugi gritted his teeth from the pain, squeezing his leg above torn flesh. The medics said he couldn't even take aspirin, because they didn't know what condition he was in. /Yami, it's okay./

//No, it's not. If we had switched earlier, then I could have banished that creature before it bit you.//

/Well then, why didn't you?/ Yugi winced. The pain was making him snappish.

Yami sighed. //I don't like to take control of your body without your permission. It is not polite and certainly not nice to you.//

/We're bonded, right? So, if you really think I'm in danger…then do what you have to do./

Yami smiled down towards his hikari. Yes, he was Yugi's protector. He should 'do what he has to do.' //Thank you, Yugi.//

Just then, the ambulance arrived, and everything went crazy from there. There was lots of shouting, and flashing lights, and Yugi's mind almost blanked out in the middle of it all. The paramedics lifted Yugi onto a stretcher and rolled him into the ambulance. Giving a terse explanation that 'they could meet up with him at the hospital' the ambulance left Yugi's friends behind.

Inside the ambulance, Yugi was just confused. With all the sirens blaring and the shot they gave him to relieve the pain making him dizzy and confused, Yugi didn't have a clue of what was happening. Everything was becoming blurred. Why weren't his friends here…wait, the paramedics wouldn't let them come…said they'll meet up at the hospital…

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

A paramedic began spewing out questions. "Sir, did the monkey look sick to you?"

"Uh, yeah…" Yugi answered, weakly.

"Was it dripping saliva? Lesions? Blood?"

"I dunno…"

//Yes, it was, Yugi.// Yami reminded.

"I mean, yeah, it was…"

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

"Do you know where the monkey went?"

"No…"

The paramedic cursed softly. Without knowledge about the monkey, they couldn't know exactly what the monkey was carrying. It was clear to him that the monkey carried some sort of infectious disease. A monkey with skin lesions that bit people was big trouble. It could contain Lassa virus, SIV, rabies, or even some new disease, and without some sort of sample, they would be completely guessing on how to treat the patient.

"Are you sure? That monkey could have been carrying something. We need to find that monkey in order to get a sample and know for sure. Can you remember anything?"

Yami cringed. With the monkey dead and in the shadow realm, there would be no way to tell exactly what the monkey had been carrying.

//Sorry, aibou. I overreacted. By Ra! Why didn't I learn about modern medicine? I should have known that we would need information about the monkey!//

/It's all right, Yami…/

Yugi answered the paramedic's question. "No…"

****

x x x x x

Yugi was lying on a hospital bed with an IV drip.

With no idea of what the monkey could possibly have infected Yugi with, the doctors decided to inject as many vaccines as possible, in hopes that it would prevent a breakout.

The doctors were definitely scared. Monkeys were frequently used as test animals for diseases and vaccines. With a monkey, possibly infected with a hot and lethal agent, on the loose and biting people, there was a huge possibility that a pandemic would break out.

Yugi groaned. He had been given no less than five shots, all for various diseases, and one blood sample. The doctors were hoping to identify something and then know the proper treatment. It had been practically a whole day now. At least his friends were here, keeping him company. Those needles must have been the biggest ones in the hospital…

Just then, a doctor came in. His face was perfectly blank.

"We have the test results. They are not good."

Joey stood up. "What's wrong, doc?"

"Due to some new testing, we have detected a previously unknown variety of the Ebola virus in his bloodstream."

Yugi blanched, Tea covered her mouth, Tristan hung his head, and Joey scratched his head. "E-whatsit?"

The doctor glanced at Yugi. There seemed to be pity in his eyes. "The Ebola virus. It is a rare and lethally hot virus that kills nine of ten people. In comparison, yellow fever, a distant relative, kills one out of twenty. I have no idea how the monkey, and thus Yugi, contracted the disease. As I have said, the virus is extremely rare."

"What…what can it do?" Tea asked with a white face. "What'll happen to Yugi?"

"The incubation period for Ebola is around three to twelve days. However, with a new strain, it may be sooner or longer, and thus his symptoms arrive sooner or later. Ebola attacks everything except skeletal muscle and bone. It is famous for its massive hemorrhaging – that is, heavy bleeding. There is no cure. Yugi will most likely die."

Yugi's face went white. In his soul room, Yami was also in shock. How could he have let his hikari get into this state?

"Die? Wait, you can't do anything?" Tea pleaded.

The doctor shook his head. "I am sorry. As this is a serious case, we must quarantine Yugi and we must ask you to leave this hospital - that is after we have tested you as well. We must make sure that you were not exposed to the virus."

"Wait a sec. You're just going to let Yugi die?" Joey looked at the doctor incredulously.

"Again, I am sorry. But all we can do is give Yugi is supportive care. There is no cure."

With protests, screams and pleads, the doctor shooed Yugi's only comfort out of the lonely hospital room. Then the doctor came back in, carrying a few things.

"I'm afraid that you'll have to stay here. Certified personnel will come in occasionally, to see if you're doing fine and to try to keep the symptoms down. To keep you…occupied…you can watch TV or read this."

The doctor handed over a TV remote and a paperback book. The title: _The Hot Zone_.

"I'm not sure if you would be interested, since it's about the Ebola virus. It's probably one of the few things written exclusively on Ebola, translated into Japanese, and also open widely to the public. If you want to learn more about it, you can read it. Again, I am very sorry."

The doctor turned towards the door. And then stopped. "Though if I were you, I would not read the first twenty-five pages." Then he walked out - the last human contact that Yugi had.

//Yugi, at least I am still here with you.//

/But what about Joey and Tristan? And what about Tea? Will I ever see them again?/

Yami had no answer. //I- I just don't know.//

Yugi sighed and picked up the book. At least he could read about the life form that was living inside of him. He flipped through the pages. It wasn't too bad…kind of factual at some parts, talking about viruses and the like. In the end parts it was more militaristic. A bit intrigued (and bored) Yugi went back to the beginning pages that the doctor had warned him against reading.

His stomach turned somersaults as he read about a tiny life form that acquired, replicated, and destroyed a human body in less than a week. First it was a headache. Then it turned into raging fevers, flowing blood, blood shot eyes, the literal eating of the mind. It ended with a massive gushing of blood and terminal shock.

Yugi slammed the book closed. So that was what was in store for him.

Then he winced. Oww, his head hurt. Like he had a headache…

Yugi shot up. A headache. And from what he just read, after just one day, he was doomed…


	2. A Stranger Opens The Way

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf does not own YGO. Toboe does own a copy of _The Hot Zone_, does that count? No. XD  
Note: As of 4/28/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. The original format can be found on mediaminer(dot)org. No quotes are here on fanfiction(dot)net, go to mediaminer.

//…// is yami to hikari while /…/ is hikari to yami.

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...Let the path open, let the way unfold...

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Chapter Two: A Stranger Opens The Way

Ebola virus…a lethal hot virus, living within him. The book described it as a Level 4 hot agent. A Level 4 hot agent, where there is no vaccine, no cure.

No hope.

Yugi slumped on his bed. Okay, so he was now infected with a killer virus that would most likely kill him soon, and painfully. He looked out the window, where the moon was just coming out, long before the stars ever would. He would never see them again, never talk to Yami again…

//Yugi, don't think like that.//

/Yami, it's hopeless. I'm doomed./

Yami scoffed. //Yugi, no one is _doomed_. Stop whining about _doom_ and start figuring out how to defeat this virus.//

/Like what? Ebola has a mortality rate of _ninety percent_./ Yugi pointed out a quote. Yami didn't need to read it; it was already burned into his mind.

A whopping ninety percent death rate. Ebola Zaire can wipe out humans like none other. You want to know the odds? Don't ask.

Yami paused. //Well, Yugi, I will not leave you alone. I promise, we'll fight this thing together.//

For a few moments, they said nothing, simply enjoying the comfort of being together. Then Yami looked up in his semi-transparent form.

//Yugi, someone is coming.//

/Who?/

//Well, I believe we have met him, once. He is— //

But before Yami could tell Yugi exactly who was coming, a strange, shadowy portal appeared in the middle of the room. Yugi and Yami looked at it in surprise. They had seen this before…

And like the previous time, a tall, mysterious, Egyptian-clothed man stepped out. It was Shadi.

"Disturbances in the mystical alignment brought me here again. Tell me, Chosen One, what has happened? Why was I urged to come here?"

//Let me take care of this, Yugi.// To protect Yugi, Yami took control.

Yami sat up straight, a sad reminder of the proud King he once was. Now he was bed-ridden, infected with a killer virus, and unable to stop the invasion that was happening in his aibou's body. "The boy which I share this body with has become infected with Ebola virus. There is no cure."

Shadi stared at the King of Games. "And you can do nothing."

Yami bowed his head. "No. I can do naught. I have failed my duties as his protector…"

Shadi slowly shook his head. "It has been three long millennia since you have ruled. It is no surprise that you have forgotten." Shadi looked straight into Yami's eyes. "In ancient times, you have faced this enemy and won. It is locked within your hidden memories. The invader can be destroyed."

"So. There is a way to save my hikari." Yami said with calm difference. Inside, Yami leapt at the opportunity.

"Yes. The cure is there, if you can unlock your past. But be warned, you may very well die of it."

"So be it. Whatever the risk, I have to take it. For Yugi's sake."

Shadi took out his Millenium Ankh. "And so it shall be. The Ankh will unlock your mind and begin the search." And the Ankh came to the King of Game's forehead, and turned the lock.

****

x x x x x

Meanwhile, in the outside world...

Tea placed the phone back down. She had just called Ryou and Kaiba and told them the awful news. Ryou simply said, "Oh, my." Kaiba, on the other hand, expressed his concerns in a very distanced, Kaiba-like and business-like behavior. Some people were just so cold-hearted…

Tea looked out her window. Perhaps those were the last stars Yugi would ever see…would she ever see him again?

Suddenly the room swirled and Tea felt herself being transported to a different place…

Tristan found himself not in his bed, napping, but in a separate world…

Joey, instead of pacing back and forth in his room worrying about his buddy, saw himself pacing in a completely different environment…

After Ryou put down the phone and had heard the terrible news from Tea, he saw his Ring glow and then his mind was whisked away…

Seto Kaiba, sitting in his lonely office, saw his laptop disappear and fade away, while he appeared somewhere else…

****

x x x x x

"WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" Joey yelled.

"Well mutt, it appears that we have been transported to some place different, probably by some bogus hocus pocus."

That was Kaiba, answering Joey's question. In fact, the entire YGO gang was together – Tea, Tristan, Joey, Ryou and Kaiba. (If you can call it the YGO gang…) The thing that surprised the group was that Yugi was also with them, apparently whole and healthy. And another person was also there, a stranger that none of them had met before…

"And who are you?" Joey pointedly asked the stranger.

"My name is Shadi. It appears that the Chosen One has bonds with close friends."

Dead silence.

"Ummm…explanation please? Like who is the Chosen One? And why is Yugi here?" Joey asked.

"Ah. It appears that I will need to enlighten you." Kaiba smirked at this while Shadi continued. "Yugi is the Chosen One. He is destined to unlock secrets and memories hidden in time. As for you all being here, it is the bond of friendship that brought you here. When I used the Millenium Ankh to unlock Yami's mind in order to begin the search for the cure that will heal Yugi, your faithfulness to your friend allowed you come here with me."

Joey still looked dumbfounded. Kaiba, seeing the confusion, decided to explain, ever so reluctantly. "Look, dog, this…person…has used his…'magic'…to presumably get into Yugi's other self's mind, because this other self supposedly has the cure to Ebola." Kaiba scoffed at this. "And we are here because since we are all…friends…of Yugi, the…magic…of Shadi's took us along."

Kaiba wondered at this. He certainly wasn't Yugi's friend; he was his main rival. Why in the world was he here?!?

Ryou was gazing around him. _Here_ was a very interesting place. Everything was red… "Umm…Sir? Where exactly are we?"

Shadi looked around also. Billions of small, red spheres were whizzing by them. A few, larger, white balls also passed them by, with tiny golden ovals tagging along. Crystals were also floating by. In the far distance, an ominous looking object also appeared. "We are inside Yugi's body."

"WHAT?!?" everyone exclaimed. That stuff only happened in movies and books…

"But how can I be in my own body? I'm right here…" Yugi questioned.

"That is because Yami is currently controlling your body. Usually, you would be in your soul room. But by the magic of my Millenium Ankh, you are also here, observing. If you would switch minds," Shadi nodded towards Yugi; "Yami would be here instead."

Yami would be here? To Yugi, that seemed like a good thing. This was all too confusing…

/Um, Yami?/

//Yes, Yugi? Where are you? I cannot sense you in your soul room. Are you all right?//

/Umm, yeah…actually, I'm inside my own body, along with Joey and the rest. I think things will be clearer if we switch…/

There was a slight pause, then, //I trust you, Yugi.// A little blaze of light and Yami appeared before the group.

"Huh. So, I guess this is for real…" Joey said.

Yami looked around at the inner world. So this is what Yugi's body looked like. They were most likely inside one of the many veins within the body. For a while, they simply looked around them in wonder. Cells around them were constantly moving, working together to keep Yugi alive. It truly was amazing to see this on the microscopic level.

The ominous looking object was coming closer. "Hey guys, look at that thing." Tristan pointed.

"It's not a sick monkey again, this time?" Tea wryly asked.

"I don't think so."

They simply watched the object. It was a thin, twisted thread, and it seemed to be looking for something. Something like a perfect victim. The thread paused in front of a red, innocent blood cell and tapped the cell wall, like a smiling salesman offering something wonderful. But in reality, it was an assassin holding explosives behind its back.

The cell accepted the thread like Snow White took in the Witch. The thread entered the cell, and there was a slight pause where supposedly nothing was happening. But an assassin always enters quietly.

Then the cell budged and strained. It became swollen and fat, like it had too much on the inside. Perhaps it had bought a lot of things from the salesman…or perhaps it had bought something else, something that was trying to get out.

Black crystalloids were forming in the center of the cell. They resembled bricks – hard, solid objects that hurt if thrown. And those bricks looked like they were being pushed, no, hurled into the cell's wall. Once a brick hit the barrier, the brick broke apart – into hundreds of threads.

Eventually the cell could take no more of the beating. The cell burst open, letting bricks and threads fly by. Hundreds of them. They drifted, and then began to search for more unsuspecting cells to murder. The assassins were replicating themselves in order to kill more.

They drifted innocently by, down the bloodstream. One by one, those thread-assassins entered a cell, multiplying and taking over and forming bricks and bursting the cells.

Nobody said anything. What they had seen was horrifying. In just little more than a minute, a healthy red blood cell had been blown to bits by a strand of thread.

Shadi said the thing that no one wanted to hear. "Yes. That is the Ebola virus."

This was the virus that was killing Yugi. With their own eyes, they had seen a thread turn into a predator in little less than a minute. Its prey: anything.

A predator like none other. While most virus-predators disguise themselves like ball-shaped particles that look like peppercorns, the thread-predators of Ebola and Marburg have been described as strands of tangled rope, of hair, of worms, of snakes. When they appear in a great flooding mess, bursting from the victim's bloodvessels, they look like the writhing mass of snakes on Medusa's head, all ready to bite.

Each person feared the monster before them. A monster was ravaging inside Yugi's body. The reason they were brought here was to destroy the monster. They had to find the cure that was residing inside an ancient, 3000 year old pharaoh. But the monster looked too powerful, too vicious to be destroyed.

Someone once said that Ebola was fascinating. No. Unless the predatory gaze of a waving confrontational cobra falls under that category, "fascination" is not what you should feel about Ebola. You should feel shit scared.

How could they stop the Beast?


	3. Extreme Amplification

Disclaimer: Me no own YGO or bookie. Bookie owned by Robert Preston. Bookie is the glorious _Hot Zone_. All must read. XD  
_Note_: As of 4/28/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. Original format can be found on mediaminer(dot)org.

Notes: //…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami. Things in italics are an impassive, third-person, narrator-ish viewpoint the biology outlook at that point. Aka me, bio-geek. XD

From here I'm going to get a bit technical on math and biology. Another reason why this is PG-13 (now "T") – you need to understand the math and biology, and I highly doubt eight-year-olds would understand exponents and all that. I'll try to explain it clearly, but after reading the book, I might go a little too fast. Sorry. Try getting a calculator or a biology book on hand when you read this – just kidding.

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Explosions are fun. Really.

Chapter Three: Extreme Amplification

Everyone stared at the quickly dispersing Ebola viruses. They had learned the meaning of "fear."

Kaiba whirled around towards Shadi. This had to be a stupid joke. Or a highly sophisticated hologram. What they had just seen couldn't be real. "What kind of game are you playing, Shadi?"

"This is not a game. This is truth."

Kaiba stalked over to where Shadi was standing. He didn't know who the heck this guy was, but he was not going to stand for any more tricks. He grabbed Shadi and hissed, "I don't care about truth. I don't care about your hocus pocus. I don't care about any of this. Just end this and stop messing with my mind!"

The Millenium Ankh around Shadi's neck glowed briefly, and Kaiba was thrown back off his feet.

"I do not know why my Millenium Ankh had allowed you to enter, but the past cannot be changed. You are here, Seto Kaiba, and nothing you do can alter that. The Millenium Ankh has brought us here, and it will take us back, but only after the task has been completed. Until then, Seto Kaiba, you will remain here."

Kaiba got up and brushed himself off. "Fine. I'll play your game. I'll stick around. But don't think that I'll be all happy and all that junk, stranger, because I play by my own rules."

__

Ker-plewie!

Joey jumped. "What was that?"

Kaiba looked around. He jabbed his thumb at the remaining pieces of a cell. "An exploding cell, what else, Wheeler? Are you scared?"

Joey glared at Kaiba. "Yeah right, Kaiba."

__

Ker-plewie! Ker-plewie!

Tea looked around. "It's happening a lot faster, you guys."

__

KER-PLEWIE! KER-PLEWIE!

"Wow, and that was a lot louder." Tristan observed.

Ryou was attempting to be smaller, somehow. He didn't like all of these explosions. "Why are they louder?"

Kaiba snorted. They couldn't even do simple math. "Huh. Obviously, the Ebola viruses are destroying cells exponentially more and more. As more cells die, more viruses are unleashed, which creates a chain reaction." Kaiba looked at Joey, who seemed to be confused, as usual. "I suppose I'll have to make things a bit more concrete for slower people. If one Ebola virus can multiply to around five hundred viruses from just one cell, this means five hundred more cells can be destroyed. Those five hundred cells die, and out comes around 250,000 Ebola viruses, or five hundred times five hundred. All of those cells dying create plenty of explosions."

KA-BOOM!

Kaiba continued with the math lesson, unfazed. Kaiba seems to like calculations. Must be from all those statistics from KaibaCorp. "The human body generally has 20 to 30 trillion cells. If Ebola multiplies at the rate I just described, then to completely destroy someone, Ebola goes through about five generations. One virus, to five hundred, to 250,000, to 125,000,000, to 63 billion, and then 31 trillion."

KA-BOOM!

Shadi thankfully ended Kaiba's lecture. "We have about 24 hours until Yugi dies. We must find the cure before then, but preferably sooner before permanent damage occurs."

__

When Ebola multiplies in a victim, it can flood the body with virus particles, stuffing the blood vessels with packaged protein coats and DNA. The military term for this is extreme amplification._ At this point, a single drop of the victim's blood may contain a hundred million virus particles. The body's cells have been subverted to producing millions of these viruses. In essence, the victim is possessed by a life form that is attempting to convert the host into _itself_. This transformation is not successful, however, and the end result is a mass of liquefied flesh oozing with virus. A little biological accident in the world scheme of things._

The group looked around. The blood around them was beginning to have bits and pieces of cells instead of whole ones, and a whole lot of Ebola virus.

The threads were multiplying and swarming the bloodstream. A thread enters a cell, and then, _ker-plewie!_ it was dead and more viruses were coming out. The threads became almost like a tangled spool. You could barely tell where one virus ended and another began – it was just a mumbo jumbo mass of filovirus. There were shaped like pigtails, snakes, _Y_s, _6_s, _O_s, and _U_s. The prominent shape of the virus was the shepherd's crook. A crooked shepherd, perhaps, leading its flock astray…

KA-BOOM!

****

x x x x x

Yugi was lying in his bed, resting. He certainly didn't feel too great. Aspirin wasn't making his headache go away, and the nurse said he was getting a fever.

He thought about the bizarre situation he was in.

__

A situation is code for a hot agent.

For one, he had been bitten by a monkey, and that is just something that doesn't occur frequently in Domino. Two, he just happened to be a victim of one of the rarest and most lethal viruses of all time. Three, he had seven people inside his body looking for a cure for the virus that was killing him. Things were definitely weird.

Yugi wondered what Yami was thinking about all of this.

//Not well, aibou.//

/You knew what I was thinking?/ Yugi asked in surprise.

//We are connected, Yugi. I can sense what you are feeling. And yes, I believe that this is a very…interesting…condition that we are in.// Yami paused. //I do not like what I am seeing.//

Yugi waited for an answer. When he didn't get one, he asked/Which is…what?/

//Ebola viruses destroying cells. They look…familiar, somehow.//

This was all too strange for Yugi. A recent virus just discovered was familiar to a 3000 year old pharaoh? Didn't make much sense, but then again, nothing made sense now.

/Whatever, Yami. I'm tired./;;

Yugi could somehow sense Yami smiling, even when he was inside his own body.

//Well then, rest, aibou. Rest and hope. I will be here.//

All that Yugi could do was lie in his bed, and hope that the gang inside of him could somehow pull a miracle. The doctors believed he would only last another 24 hours.

****

x x x x x

24 hours. The clock was ticking…

Tick. Tock. Tick.


	4. Seven is the Perfect Number

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf does not own YGO. What makes you think someone other than Kazuki Takahashi does?   
Note: As of 4/28/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. Original format, including quotes, can be found on mediaminer(dot)org. The quotes _formally_ in this fic were from:   
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. _Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world_. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. _The Hot Zone_. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.   
Things in italics now, barring emphasis or thoughts, are now an impassive, _non-quoted_ viewpoint of the biology outlook at that point. Aka me. My quotes.

//…// is yami to hikari/…/ is hikarii to yami. (This includes Ryou/Bakura interchange.)

This chapter has a LOT of biology in it. If you haven't taken biology yet or did not pay attention or totally forgot, you are in trouble. I would highly recommend that you readers out there have a nice, supposedly simple book on the human body to help you - either that, or look the stuff up after reading this fic. Or you can assume that what I write makes sense. (Which I hope is true…) At the end will be a "biology section." There I will explain the technicalities and twists of biology. Fun fun fun. XD

* * *

_...Begin the Completion..._

__

Chapter Four: Seven is the Perfect Number

Joey tore his eyes away from the exploding cells. Okay, so they had about 24 hours. They had better start looking for the cure fast.

"Hey, guys, we'd better go look for the cure right away."

"Got any idea on just HOW to do that, Wheeler?" Kaiba crossed his eyes and stared at Joey.

Joey lowered his eyes. Heck, he had no clue, but his best bud needed his help – that is, all of their help.

Yami came to back up Joey. "Kaiba, Joey is just trying to bring us together so we can fight this enemy together. We must become a team against this Ebola."

"Teamwork, who needs it? I do best by myself."

Tea tried to break up the tension. "You guys, why hasn't Yugi's immune system done anything yet? I mean, shouldn't there be those white blood cells eating those things?"

Tristan added in a comment. "Yeah, and what about antibodies? They should stop those viruses, right?"

Kaiba snorted. If only these goons would pay attention for once. He jabbed a finger at a nearby white blood cell. "If you two would just look, you would see that the immune system can't do anything. The virus multiplies faster than they are being destroyed."

The group turned towards the white blood cell. As usual, they saw that Kaiba's observation was correct. There was a white blood cell eating away, but the thread viruses were still swarming. And then as they watched, an Ebola virus actually entered the white blood cell and blew the defending cell up.

"Hey! I thought the white blood cells were supposed to eat the virus, not the other way around." Joey exclaimed.

Yami explained. "The virus is too numerous. It has overwhelmed the white blood cell. Remember, Ebola attacks everything except bone and skeletal muscle. That includes white blood cells."

"But what about the antibodies? Why aren't they helping?" Ryou confusedly asked.

Kaiba almost rolled his eyes at the stupidity he was hearing. Almost. "How many times must I explain things? If you paid attention in school, you would know that antibodies are mostly used for bacteria. Since Ebola is a virus, antibodies are not as effective. Besides, if you would all look _again_, you would see the antibodies as well. And they are obviously not working."

Ryou shrank under Kaiba's barbed reply. It was almost like his other self speaking.

Bakura sneered inside Ryou's mind, briefly awakened by Ryou's thought. //Kaiba, like me? Ha, I'm much better at threatening. But I think you know _that_, vessel.//

Ryou ignored the voice and turned towards where everyone else was watching. A few of the Ebola viruses nearby had some things stuck onto them, presumably antibodies. But the antibodies didn't seem to do anything. They just…hung there, like a useless tool. The virus was still moving along, looking for a cell to blow up. White blood cells didn't even seem to notice the viruses with antibodies on them; they just passed them by. Eventually the virus found a cell to its liking, and entered the cell without any interference from the antibody. Apparently, antibodies aren't able to stop evil salesmen or slippery assassins. The antibodies, which were supposed to help the defenders from the enemy army, were simply letting the enemy go behind their lines.

Shadi spoke in the silence. "Antibodies do not stop the invader. This has been tested in previous cases of Ebola."

__

Part of the puzzle surrounding filovirus infections was the lack of an successful, neutralizing antibody response from the serum in survivors.

For example, with Venezuelan equine encephalitis antiserum or Rift Vally antiserum, if you mix it with the virus, the virus' infectivity is neutralized. That is, serum taken from the blood of survivors should have antibodies to the virus that blocks its infectivity. This is called antiserum. Not only is this a weapon against the disease, it also serves as a way to measure the amount and potency of antibody.

But with Ebola or even Marburg virus and the same procedure — called convalescent antiserum procedure — and then measure the infectivity of the virus again, it's essentially the same. This means three things, none of them good. First, despite the isolation of the virus, there is no test to confirm the validity of results from the fluorescent antibody test. Second, it meant that antiserum probably provided no passive protection against the disease. And third, this was telling us there was something important about the virus that we did not understand.

"So, Yugi's immune system can't do anything, right?" Joey concluded.

Yami nodded. "I believe so."

"But why not?" Joey pressed. "Why isn't it? Why aren't those helper T-cells and all that stuff helping?"

Tea raised an eyebrow. Just when did Joey know about helper T-cells? But then again, he probably learned about that in the sex-ed part of health class, when they learned about HIV and AIDS. At least Joey learned _something_…

"Well, maybe we should go to the source." Tristan pointed out. "The immune system centers around the thymus gland. So, we should check out the thymus gland. Maybe we'll find out what's going on."

Tristan looked around. Everyone was staring at him. "What?"

"Just when did you learn about the immune system?" Joey asked his friend.

"Unlike you, Joey, I paid attention in biology class."

(Kaiba smirked at this.)

Yami crossed his arms. "Shall we go, then?"

"But how? We can't just walk there; it'd take forever!" Tea asked.

"It doesn't matter. We can just take one of these red blood cells to our destination. A single red blood cell can circulate through the whole body in just thirty seconds."

This time, everyone stared at Yami. Just when did 3000-year-old pharaohs know about the circulatory system?

Yami explained. "I like to read Yugi's school textbooks. They are very informative."

"Oookay then." Joey glanced at the red blood cells whizzing by. "Let's go hitch a ride."

**x x x x x**

Eventually, everyone was able to get onto a red blood cell. It was almost like catching a train: you wait, you time your jump, and you (hopefully) get on.

Joey was a pro at this. He had been jumping onto trains for years since his dad was too cheap to drive him anywhere. Joey kept getting on and off the red blood cells, showing the rest just "how it's done." Tea and Tristan had a few difficulties, but they eventually got on. Kaiba just hopped onto one, taking everything as a joke. Shadi got on a red blood cell quietly and mysteriously, like everything else that he does. Yami, of course, caught on quickly, since he was the King of Games.

Ryou, on the other hand, just could not get himself onto a red blood cell.

//You are so pathetic, vessel.//

Joey jumped off yet again to help Ryou. He ran his hand through his hair. If Ryou didn't get on, they'd be far behind. The others were holding their red blood cells steady, but they couldn't do it much longer.

"Hey Ryou, how about you just come along with me?" Joey stretched out his hand.

Ryou gratefully took it. He'd never be able to get on one of those things…

"Alright then, onto the red blood cell express." Joey jumped onto a moving red blood cell, and dragged Ryou along. "Here we go."

The rest of the group let go and they were off.

**x x x x x**

Riding a red blood cell was very strange. The cell felt soft, squishy, and rubbery. Plus, it was strange to be able to see through the cell wall. Ryou was clinging onto Joey for dear life and staring down so he wouldn't make himself sick at watching everything go by.

Ryou could see the little cell working furiously to keep itself alive. If Ryou remembered correctly, red blood cells only lived for 100 to 120 days. As Ryou peered closer (and also distracting himself from his surroundings) he could see the little parts and processes of the cell. Osmosis, diffusion, even the cell transport system, moving food and wastes. ATP and cellular respiration were also running. But the strange thing was that the red blood cell had no nucleus. But then again, Ryou supposed, the red blood cell was supposed to transport oxygen. The nucleus probably wasn't that important.

Joey, on the other hand, was looking around at the wonder around him. This was just so cool. Because he was actually IN the bloodstream, he could see everything that his boring biology teacher droned about. But this was much more interesting.

For one, he could actually see that most of the blood is clearish-yellow. He couldn't exactly remember what it was called, but now he could tell that he only thought blood was red because the red blood cells outnumbered everything.

He could also see the destruction that the Ebola was creating. The Ebola was blowing up cells so much that the blood began to be filled up with shredded up cell pieces instead of whole ones.

__

After Ebola's been through the blood, if you put a sample of that blood in a test tube, you can see that the blood is destroyed. Its red cells are broken and dead, little pieces of hemoglobin floating around. The blood looks as if it has been through an electric shredder.

"So, Yami, where do we go?" Tristan yelled over towards Yami.

Yami thought about it. All that he knew about the thymus gland was that it was near the top of the sternum in the chest. But he had no clue of where they were in the first place. "Shadi, where exactly are we in Yugi's body?"

Shadi's Millenium Ankh glowed, and then faded. "I believe that we are traveling through one of the arterioles towards the brain."

"Ah. We're close, then." Yami looked around. He couldn't exactly see any organs since the arterial wall blocked the view.

Joey shouted, "Do we turn or what?"

Yami actually had no clue. (But he wouldn't say that.) The various branches breaking off were all over the place, and the one path that would take them to the thymus gland could be any one of them. Yami glanced at Shadi. Perhaps he knew; he knew where they were, so perhaps he knew where to go. "Can you use your Millenium Ankh to find the right way?"

Shadi shook his head. "Alas, I cannot. The Ankh cannot tell the way in the physical world."

Yami turned towards Kaiba. With all of the education his adopted father put on him, maybe Kaiba remembered stuff about the circulatory system. Kaiba felt Yami's eyes on him and snapped, "Who has the time to memorize the bloodstream? I certainly don't."

"Are we lost?" Ryou timidly asked.

"No way! We're just, uh, delayed…" Joey trailed off.

Tea shook her head. Guys were just so stubborn…"You guys are so stubborn! Why can't you guys just ask for directions?"

The rest of the males' faces went blank. Ah yes, directions…

Tristan pointed out something. "But how are we going to _get_ directions, Tea?"

Tea rolled her eyes. "Where else? The nervous system should know. It's connected to everything." She pointed to the line of nervous cells on the arterial wall. "I'll bet we can just ask one of those."

Yami's eyebrow went up. Ask…a cell? Ah well, it was better than getting lost. Yami steered "his" blood cell towards a neuron, aka a nervous cell. The rest of the group soon followed and then got off their "cell transport."

"Good bye, Reddy!" Joey waved to his departing cell.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Figures. The dog would name his pet."

Joey grumbled at this, but couldn't exactly reply. Yami ignored this and pressed his hand on the feathery hands that stuck out from the neuron. It too, felt strange. The dendrites (for that was what they were called in Yugi's textbook) were short and tingly to the touch. Feeling a bit strange, Yami thought at the neuron, _Where is the thymus gland?_

And strangely enough, there was actually a reply. A little electrical buzz, and the cell answered with, _To the right_.

Yami shook his head. Although he had been around for three thousand years, this topped as one of the most bizarre things he had ever experienced.

"So, did it answer? What'd it say?" Joey pressed.

"Nothing much. Just 'to the right.'"

Joey scratched his head. "That doesn't help much." He waved around. "There's tons of — whatduyuh call 'em…capillaries, that's it – to the right."

"A very observant answer, Wheeler." Kaiba said. He turned to Yami. "Can't you get it to be a bit more specific?"

Yami shrugged. "I'll try." He pressed his hand on the dendrites again. _Which way should we take to get to the thymus gland?_

This time Yami was hit by an overwhelming load of information. Later, when they were on their way, Yami could only describe it as if the cell had opened up and brought him into the web. Yami could see and feel the interlocking chain of neurons throughout the entire body. It was as if he wasn't exactly himself anymore; he was a part of a system. A small part, but a part nevertheless. And then the system flared and showed him the way in a flash. The information flitted through Yami's mind, and only because he was once pharaoh and the King of Games did he understand it all.

Again, Yami shook his head as he broke the connection. Everyone stared anxiously at him. "Yes. Now I know the way."

"Alright then! Onward, soldiers! Come on Ryou," Joey pulled, "we need to get on Reddy 2!"

Everyone sighed, but followed Joey as he dragged Ryou along and pointing upward in a sad imitation of a hero. Some people can never be let down for long.

**x x x x x**

By following the directions of Yami, everyone was able to make it to the thymus gland. It was a small organ, squishy, and had bumps all over it, which were packed with various types of white blood cells.

Joey looked around and looked at Tristan. "Soooo, now what? We're here, so now what do we do?"

Tristan was clueless. "I dunno. I don't know what is supposed to happen in the first place."

Shadi broke his silence. "Shall I explain how the immune system works, then?"

Yami nodded. "I believe that it would help some of us. Although I may understand the little information that was in Yugi's textbook, I do not think that it was thorough enough."

Kaiba couldn't help but make a barb at Joey again. He too, nodded at Shadi and said, "Yes, because I believe dogs simply cannot understand biology."

"HEY!"

Shadi ignored this and began a small but brief lecture. "When an invader enters and begins destroying, the first defense are the phagocytes. There are two types of phagocytes – macrophages and microphages, or 'big eaters' and 'little eaters,' respectively. As their name implies, they simply eat any foreign material in their way."

"Anything?" Joey interrupted.

"Yeah, Joey, anything. Just like you." Tea rolled her eyes, remembering the amount of food Joey could pack in.

Shadi continued. "Generally, these types of white blood cells are able to eat any invader before it does much damage. If they cannot, the 'acquired immune system' also works to defend the body. The acquired immune system has five parts – B cells, antibodies, helper T cells, killer T cells, and the suppressor T cells.

"After a macrophage or microphage has eaten an antigen, or 'foreign material,' they show it to the helper T cells, which reside in the thymus gland. The helper T cells organize the entire immune system defense and are the key for its success. If a certain helper T cell recognize the antigen, then it activates corresponding B cells and killer T cells, which also live and grow in the thymus gland. The B cells then create specialized antibodies against the antigen. The antibodies can neutralize the antigen, destroy the antigen, or help the phagocytes eat the antigen.

"The killer T cells, as they are called, seek and kill the antigen. They are specialized to destroy only that type of antigen. After all of the antigens have been destroyed, the helper T cells send suppressor T cells to turn off the killer T cells and B cells, so that they do not destroy anything else anymore.

"In all, there are seven parts to the immune system – macrophages, microphages, helper T cells, B cells, antibodies, killer T cells, and suppressor T cells."

There was a slight pause while everyone took in the information and processed it. Then everyone turned towards Joey, who took the longest.

Joey scratched his head. "I think I get it. But where are the white blood cells I learned about?"

"You actually learned something, Wheeler?" Yet another barb by Kaiba.

Yami tried to make things clearer. "White blood cells is a general term for everything. Macrophages, microphages, helper T cells, killer T cells, and B cells all fall under the category of 'white blood cell.'"

"Ah."

"With that done, can we get on with it?" Kaiba crossed his arms. "We are wasting our time. I want to get back to KaibaCorp and stop—"

The "ground" beneath them heaved and everything whirled. The bloodstream around them went crazy and some red blood cells looked "confused." Neurons flashed, sending signals haywire.

When everything settled down, everyone stared at Yami. A flash of pain and worry flickered in his eyes. Something had gone wrong with Yugi.

**x x x x x**

Yugi stood over a wastebasket, wiping his mouth. He definitely didn't feel too good right now. He had just thrown up his dinner, lunch, breakfast, and probably anything else that was left over. His throat was sore and his head shaky. Yugi HATED being sick.

The wastebasket was full of vomit. Yugi hoped that the nurses would come soon and take it away; it was pretty gross. Vomit in general is gross; but this was the gross of gross. It was a mixture of black and red – probably blood and…something else, Yugi wryly thought.

__

What they call black vomit is not really black; rather, it is a speckled liquid of two colors, black and red, a stew of tarry bits mixed with fresh arterial blood, coughed up fresh. It is hemorrhage, loaded with virus, and it smells like a slaughterhouse. It is highly infective, lethally hot, a liquid that would scare the daylights out of a biohazard specialist.

Yugi stared at himself in the mirror. What looked back at him was horrifying.

His skin was now sickly yellow and it looked like it would drip off his face. The spiky hair on top of his head didn't even stand straight up anymore, but sagged a little, as if in despair. His eyes, however, was what really scared him. His normally bright eyes were dull and droopy, and instead of being light purple, they were dark red, blood red…

__

His face lost even the appearance of life, setting itself into an expressionless mask. The eyeballs were fixed, paralytic, and staring.

//Yugi! Are you all right? What happened?//

/Yami!/ Yugi gratefully replied.

//Yugi. Are you feeling well? You don't feel too good.//

/Feel too good? Nope, and I don't even look too good either./

//What just happened? Everything went crazy a few moments ago.//

/I threw up./ Yugi threw himself on the hospital bed. /It was NOT fun./

A slight pause, then //Are you fine now?//

/Am I fine? Let's see, I have Ebola inside of me plus seven other people, I look like a mess, I just threw up, my skin is yellow, and I'm probably going to die soon. Am I supposed to be fine?/

Yami smiled. Even in the lowest moments, Yugi still could have a bit of spunk. //I suppose not.//

Yugi enveloped his face in his pillow. Then a thought came to his head. /Hey Yami, do you feel okay?/

//Just fine, aibou.//

/You don't feel sick at all?/

//I felt your pain a while ago, but not now.//

/Hmm, that's funny. Since we're bonded, both of us should feel bad, right?/

//I suppose so…//

Yugi felt Yami blank out for a while. Probably informing the rest of the group. Then Yami spoke to his hikari again.

//Yugi, would you mind if we switched?//

/Noooo…why?/

//As you brought up, I feel perfectly fine. I think we should switch, Yugi. I don't like the suffering you're going through.//

/I can take it, Yami./

//No, you cannot,// Yami pressed. //I believe that this is too dangerous for you. Besides,// Yami sighed, //it is at least partly my fault that you are infected. Let me take your place, aibou…it's something I have to do.//

Yugi thought about it. /Fine, Yami. If you believe you must, then we'll do it./

The millenium puzzle blazed yet again, just like so many times before. But how many times it will shine again is unknown.

**x x x x x**

Yugi rubbed his eyes. At least his headache was gone, and he felt a lot better now.

"So Yuge, you're with us again, huh?" Joey grinned. His bud was back and looked just fine to him.

"Yeah guys. Nice to see you. I just hope Yami can put up with the pain…" Yugi trailed off.

Tea looked a bit worried at this. "What pain? Is he—Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Tea." Yugi turned the focus away from himself. "So what happened?"

Yugi was briefed on what they did, and then Yugi asked a very important question. (It is surprising that no one had asked it beforehand.)

"Shadi, do we know anything about Ebola?"

Shadi sighed. "I am afraid not much. All that the experts know is that it has exactly seven proteins. What those seven proteins do is unknown. It is known to spread through blood-to-blood contact, but it is unknown if it is airborne. It is known that Ebola attacks almost anything, but it is unknown why it is able to do so. It is known that Ebola Zaire is lethal to humans, but unknown why Ebola Reston, a close strain, is apparently not. So little is known, and so much more is unknown…"

__

We know so little. The medical community has observed thousands of flu outbreaks in this century and yet we cannot predict how the patient in the waiting room hoping for help will respond to our treatments. Any flu causes trouble, but in 1918-19 it killed 20 million people. With Ebola Zaire, there was so little experience that with all the filovirus strains put together —Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Cote d'Ivoire, Ebola Reston — that as little as we knew, no one else knew any more. Usually what you did with Ebola was go to Africa and count corpses. 

That fact was not assuring. Everyone looked around, to take their minds off that fact. The thymus gland looked okay, and all of the white blood cells around them were fine as well. There wasn't exactly anything wrong…but the immune system wasn't doing anything to fight against the Ebola. It was just…sitting there, doing nothing. No killer T cells, no antibodies (working ones, that is), not even many macrophages eating at the virus. Yugi's body was like target practice with five-centimeter away targets. And the Ebola had the gun.

"Why isn't my body DOING anything?" Yugi asked puzzledly.

This time, it was Ryou who pointed out something. "Look at that, guys. That white blood cell looks a bit…different."

The group walked a bit closer towards the white blood cell.

Shadi noticed something. "That is a helper T cell."

"How do you know?" Joey asked.

"Because of the CD4 receptors on the cell membrane."

"Oookay."

The helper T cell looked a bit more…special, somehow. It was tiny bit bigger, a tad brighter, and a smidgen whiter. It looked like a leader, a commander. However, it also looked like it had no one to command. The cell wandered about, randomly moving around. Oh, and it also had the distinct sign of the millenium symbol on the cell membrane.

"Wow…that cell has the millenium symbol on it."

"More hocus pocus. Who cares?"

Shadi whirled around at Kaiba. "Do not taunt things that you do not know about, Seto Kaiba. They may come back to haunt you later on in your life."

"Hmph."

"I wonder why this cell has the millenium symbol and not the other ones." Tristan said.

Yugi thought about something. "Maybe because it was unlocked, like I unlocked the Millenium Puzzle…"

"Say what, Yuge?"

"When I solved the puzzle, Yami became a…part of me, I guess." Yugi explained. Kaiba snorted softly. "He once said that it felt like he was unlocked. Maybe this was unlocked too." Yugi waved at the helper T cell.

"So maybe that cell was unlocked, probably when Yugi got infected. But what does it mean?" Tea pressed.

Suddenly, everything just clicked for Yugi. The tutoring of the King of Games had not been a waste, for the "Prince of Games" had a revelation.

"You guys! I think I figured it out!"

"Spit it out, Yuge. It's better than anything I've got."

"Or anything better than you'll ever get, Wheeler." Kaiba was seriously getting on Joey's case. But then again, it's not like Kaiba asked to be here.

Yugi too excited to take note of Kaiba's snip at Joey. "There are seven proteins for Ebola, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"And there are seven parts to the immune system."

Everyone nodded again. That made sense; but what was the point?

"And, there are seven millenium items! See the pattern? Seven proteins, seven parts, and seven items!

"When I solved the puzzle, I unlocked one of the seven millenium items. And that helper T cell," Yugi waved at it, "must have been unlocked too. That's why it has the millenium symbol on it. That helper T cell is part of the seven pieces of the immune system. We have to get the other six.

"Shadi said something about the cure being in Yami's mind. Yami was once pharaoh of all Egypt. He must have known about all of the seven millenium items back then. The seven millenium items are the key. So we have to find the rest in Yami's memory. To beat the seven parts of Ebola, we need the seven parts of the immune system. And to get those, we have to find the seven millenium items within Yami's memories!" Yugi finished triumphantly.

That was the answer. The clue had been there all along – in the magical number of seven. Seven, the number of perfection and completion. Seven was indeed, the perfect number…

**x x x x x**

The road was clear before them and their path was set.

However, the search had just begun.

And the clock was still ticking.

Tock. Tick. Tock.

* * *

**Biological Footnotes:**

Antiserum is stuff with antibodies against Venezuelan equine encephalitis, or VEE for short. VEE is a mosquito carried virus that can paralyze or kill; it mostly attacks horses but can hurt and kill humans. The military describes it as "an agent of concern" because it could be used for biological warfare. (Ebola is also, according to military sources, being tested as an airborne weapon. It may work, as tests show that Ebola can kill if breathed. The horror, indeed, if it works…) Rift Valley fever is another mosquito born virus. Can kill (although not as beautifully as Ebola…Djanil: WHAT? Toboe LoneWolf:) ). Assay means the analysis of a substance. Marburg is another filovirus like Ebola, kills about one in four, while Ebola kills nine in ten. (Go Ebola!). And overall this means that antibodies don't stop Ebola from infecting other cells.

Cell functions: Osmosis moves water around the cell via concentration differences. If the cell has a lower concentration of water than outside of it, water moves into the cell to "equalize" the concentration, and vice versa. Diffusion moves other molecules of stuff in the same way as osmosis. The cell transport system moves stuff without worrying about concentration values. ATP is cell energy. Just like how a car needs gas, a cell needs ATP. (But not tepees, that doesn't help. Djanil: That was very lame. Toboe LoneWolf: _(sighs)_ I know.) Cellular respiration is how a cell makes ATP.

The clear stuff that Joey forgot is called plasma. Most of blood is actually clear. It just looks red when you bleed because (obviously) you can't see the clear stuff and only see the numerous red blood cells. And just in case you're wondering, your veins look blue because you're looking through layers of skin and distorts colors. It's not because your blood is actually blue. Believe it or not, some kids in my biology class, ages 15 and 16, actually thought blood was blue. I kid you not.

Receptors, receptors. It's how a cell gets stuff from the outside, or "receives" them. Helper T cells have a distinct receptor called CD4. It's how HIV gets into helper T cells. The cell membrane is the outer "shell" of the cell. Oh, and how Shadi knows all this stuff…Spirits are smart guys, all right?

**Author's End Notes:**

(Altered) (Review replies have been moved to my website.) HUGE BIG thanks to all my reviewers. THANK YOU! (Djanil: Dude, chill. Toboe LoneWolf: Oh. Right.) 

Toboe LoneWolf: Now, don't think everything will be easy as 1) go to Yami's mind; 2) go through a few traps; 3) find the items; and 4) the cure is found, and life goes on happily ever after. No sirree, I have quite a few plans for this fic—

Djanil: You make _PLANS!_

Toboe LoneWolf: Well, vague plans. But anyway, things are just getting started. Bakura is definitely going to play a part, so don't worry, Bakura fans. Chaos will come. Kaiba-fans shouldn't worry either; I have some nice ideas for our blue-eyes hero, who refuses to acknowledge his past… Oh, I have a very nice sub-plot stewing in my head. Plus, now that Yugi and Yami switched, I can inflict pain on Yami now. Heh-heh...

It is kinda cool how it all works out: 7 Ebola proteins, 7 immune system defense parts, and 7 millenium items. Coincidence, maybe…or fact?


	5. Enter the Maze

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf don't own YGO or Ebola. XD   
Note: As of 4/28/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. Original format can be found on mediaminer(dot)org. Over _there_ I have quotes from the following resources:   
Barrett, Susan L. _It's All In Your Head_. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing Inc., 1992.   
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. _Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world_. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. _The Hot Zone_. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.   
Woods, Michael and Mary B. Woods. _Ancient Medicine: From Sorcery to Surgery_. Ancient Technology. Menneapolia, MN: Runestone Press, 2000.   
Over _HERE on fanfiction(dot)net_ I have REMOVED all quotes, instead replacing them with italized version of me with my biological viewpoint.

//…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami. There is nothing that requires a footnote; however there are biological explanations at the end nevertheless, for I am a geek. Enjoy biological technicalities at your own risk.

End explanations and replies, and roll fic!

Djanil: 'Roll fic?'

Toboe LoneWolf: Whatever. It starts off slow, but picks up later on…

* * *

_...The Maze is meant to confuse, to lead its wanderers astray,..._

__

Chapter Five: Enter the Maze

Everyone was silent for awhile. The idea was a bit preposterous. Finding seven items within an ancient pharaoh's memory to supposedly stop Ebola by unlocking the seven immune system parts was a bit, well, dubious.

Kaiba snorted. "Are you telling me, Yugi, that by fiddling around that other side of yours' memory will actually stop Ebola?"

Yugi looked down. "Well, it's an idea…"

"Eehhh…shut up, Kaiba."

Kaiba whirled around towards Joey, who had made the remark. "Why don't you, Wheeler? It's not like you have anything worthwhile to say."

Joey glared back. "I got lots to say. Like for one, give Yuge a break. Geez, he's sick and all and you're picking on him? And two, I don't think you've got any bright ideas either, CEO and all. And three," his eyes narrowed, "stop calling me a dog. I ain't one and from the way you're acting, you're the dog, all whining about all this."

Kaiba looked down at Joey, and was about to make a reply when Shadi interrupted.

"I, for one, believe that Yugi is correct."

"Oh, you too? Why am I not surprised? You and your magic tricks." Kaiba took advantage of another opening to vent his temper.

Shadi did not back down. "Kaiba, you may bicker and challenge all you want, but you cannot stop the Millenium Ankh's bidding. There is a reason why the Ankh allowed you to come, which I do not know. But to cause dissention within the group will hinder your return to the real world. If you wish to return to your business, I would advise you to end your childish rants and begin acting maturely."

Joey grinned. For once, it was Kaiba getting the lecturing.

Kaiba began to move towards Shadi, about to give him a piece of his mind. "Look here, you—"

"Can we _please_ stop with the male behavior of egoism?" Tea burst out in frustration.

Everyone turned towards Tea.

"We are _supposed_ to be helping Yugi." Tea pointed out. "Yugi's idea is the only one we've got, so can we get on with it?"

Ryou looked a bit confused. "But Tea, how are we going to find those items? We have to be in Yami's mind and we're…not."

"Yeah, why aren't we, Shadi?" Yugi asked puzzledly. "I thought that the Ankh entered someone's mind, not the uh, body."

Everyone looked over at Shadi. Shadi sighed. "I, for one, do not understand this either. My Ankh should have taken me to Yami's brain and allowed me to enter his memories." Shadi looked out thoughtfully, while everyone waited for an explanation. "However, I believe I can speculate. For some unknown reason, either the Ankh or even Yami or Yugi himself called you all here. Since the Ankh is generally used for bringing only the item holder to enter someone's mind, bringing several could confuse it."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Even magic had its problems, it seemed.

"So, how are we going to get to Yami's mind?" Yugi asked again. "We're not even in the right dimension." Everyone stared at him quizzically. "Well, we are in the physical world now. And memories and minds aren't exactly in the physical realm…"

"Ah. A problem easily fixed."

Everyone looked back at Shadi. He, for once, had a smug smile on his face. "To enter Yami's mind, it is logical to first go to the brain, where memories are hidden. Once we reach the pharaoh's brain, my Ankh will unlock his mind so that we may enter and begin the search."

A slight pause, then, "Okay then! We're off to the brain!"

That would be Joey, high-spirited as ever.

"Uh, Joey? Do you actually know where you're going?" Tristan called out.

Joey froze in mid-step. He didn't, actually. But he tried covering it up as quickly as possible. "Ah, I was just going over towards those, those nerve cells over there to get, uh, directions." Joey turned back towards the group. "But if you guys don't want me too, okay."

Tea looked around. "What nerve cells? I don't see any."

"Nervous cells are generally hard to locate in the lymphatic system."

Kaiba smirked and was about to say something when Yugi thankfully interrupted.

"So how will we find the way?"

Tristan shrugged. "Go backwards, I guess. We know that back there we saw nervous cells. So, head back, and get directions again."

Joey jumped off again. "All right then! Let's go!" He turned to a nearby blood cell and hopped on. Like before, he gripped the cell and attempted to steer it back towards the group.

Attempted, that is.

Joey found himself going farther away from the gang, instead of closer. The current was flowing the wrong way, and no matter what he did, the little cell carrier he was on kept going along…in the opposite direction.

"Hey! This thing's broken!" Joey whacked at the cell. The cell, being a cell, didn't do a thing. Except continue moving along the bloodstream.

In a flash, Kaiba understood. It was fairly simple, of course. Since they were in the bloodstream, they could only go in the direction where the blood was being pumped. He crossed his arms and considered his options. One, he could tell Joey to get off and stop making a fool of himself. Or two, he could stay quiet and watch a small amusing show.

He elected for choice two. After all, the dog had recently insulted him. A little payback.

Joey was drifting farther. The rest of the gang was yelling at him to get off, but Joey was either not paying attention or couldn't hear them.

Yugi was going nuts, Tea was crying, Tristan was covering his eyes, Ryou was hiding his head, Shadi was unmovable, and Kaiba was rolling his eyes at the stupidity of it all. Emotional people really got on his nerves. _I guess it's up to me to save the dog_, he thought.

Kaiba cupped his mouth with his hands and yelled "Hey! Joey the puppy! Get your tail off that cell and back over here where it belongs!"

__

That got Joey's attention.

Joey began jumping from one cell to another, moving back towards the gang. Almost like the game _Frogger_, in which the player jumps from one moving block to another to get to the other side. One could almost see the rage slowly building up as Joey moved from cell to cell – his face was getting redder each moment, teeth were grinding and the last cell was being squished from Joey's hand squeezing it in his anger. In a few seconds, Joey jumped back down next to the group again. And immediately stalked over to Kaiba, who had crossed his arms again and had that certain grin on his face.

"I! AM! NOT! A! PUPPY!"

"That's enough, man!" Tristan grabbed hold of Joey. "You can deal with this later."

"LATER! I WANNA DEAL WITH THIS NOW!"

"That is enough." Shadi silenced everyone (even Joey). Shadi lowered his piercing blue-green eyes at both Joey and Kaiba. "We have wasted enough time listening to you two quarrel. While we listen to your quarreling, the pharaoh is dying."

That shut them up. For a short while.

"So, now what do we do?" Ryou asked.

Tristan scratched his head. "Well, we can't go backwards. So we might as well go forwards. We should get out of the thymus and back out into the bloodstream again so we can find some nervous cell."

Tea shrugged. "Sounds good to me. Let's go, guys."

**x x x x x**

Everyone was now on a red blood cell, and drifting along the bloodstream. They had made it out of the thymus gland and were now looking for a line of neurons.

"Hey! Over there! I see some!" Joey waved wildly. Wildly enough that Ryou felt himself begin to slip and as such he clutched harder on Joey. "Ow! Hey Ryou, calm down, man. You're not going to fall off."

Ryou looked down. Sure looked close to him…

Well, everyone got off and went towards the line of neurons. Time to get a "map."

"Sooo, who's gonna do it?" Tristan looked at the waving, white bushy cell.

"I will!" Joey hopped over to the cell and was about to touch it, when another hand brushed it away.

"I believe that if Wheeler does it, we will all become lost in less than two seconds." Kaiba glanced around. "If no one objects, I will get the directions." _Besides_, Kaiba thought in his mind, _the sooner this is over, the sooner I'm away from that wanna-be_.

No one, of course, objected. Who wants to make the CEO of KaibaCorp seriously annoyed? Besides Joey, that is. (Tristan had clamped his hand around Joey's mouth before he could make a reply.)

Kaiba set his hand down on the dendrites and asked, _Where the heck should we go in order to get to the brain?_

Like before with Yami, the neuron opened up and let Kaiba into the web. Connections flashed and possibilities abounded. Waves of information rushed through that single cell every second and Kaiba also had to deal with the thousands of sensory reports passing through. It was more data processed in one second than he dealt with in an entire day at KaibaCorp. Luckily, Kaiba didn't have an overload; the neuron gave the directions soon enough.

A little shaken, Kaiba broke the connection. He didn't show that of course. "Well. That was simple enough."

Tea put her hands on her hips. "So, where do we go?"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Tea was getting a bit forward lately. "Obviously, we cannot go against the blood flow. We must circulate around the body as would any other blood cell. So, in order to get to the brain, we have to make another circulation." He looked towards Joey, who was obviously confused. "For the simpler minded, I'll make it clearer. A red blood cell makes a circle around the body. First, it is pumped from the heart to the lungs to get oxygen, from the lungs back to the heart, and from the heart around the body and back again. Once a red blood cell's 'load' of oxygen is gone, it is brought back to the heart to begin the cycle all over again."

"Soooo, that means…." Tea trailed off, expectantly waiting for an answer.

"That means, that we will have to go through the heart and lungs before we can actually move to our destination. All of the red blood cells around us are deoxygenated, and have to go back to the heart now."

"What the heck? That's like the biggest detour I've ever heard of!"

"Considering what you listen to, I'm not surprised, Wheeler." Kaiba crossed his arms. "If we may move along…"

**x x x x x**

So they were making the most roundabout path they could take to get to their destination. Everyone had gotten on yet another red blood cell, traveling towards the heart.

Ryou was again clutching onto Joey. If only the ride could be smoother; then he could actually enjoy what everyone else was gazing at. When his stomach didn't roll as usual, he cracked open an eyelid to see if something happened. He peeked around. That was funny; they were moving a lot slower than before.

Joey banged on the cell. "Hey! Red the Fifth! Speed up! Man," Joey whined, "why are we going so much slower?"

Ryou actually looked around. They were, in fact, moving at a very leisurely pace. There were no lurches, no sudden movements forward. Just a gentle, flowing movement down the bloodstream. Ryou peered a bit closer to his surroundings, now that he wasn't sick. The walls around them were not so thick, were actually transparent in some places, and were also a bit elastic. And, as Ryou recalled, they hadn't made any changes at all in their course. "I think that it's because we're in a vein."

"A what?" Joey turned towards his quiet companion.

"A vein. It's slower because the blood isn't being pumped from the heart anymore."

"Say what?" Joey scratched his head.

Ryou's voice became a bit stronger. Biology was the one class that he enjoyed. "Well, the effects of the heart beating are farther away. Since we just came out of a capillary, blood pressure is reduced. The blood simply isn't being pumped anymore at this point; it's just flowing back. That's why there are the valves on the side of the vein – it's to keep the blood from going in the wrong direction. Everything smoother, so everything slower as well. And all veins go back to the heart, so that's why we haven't changed our direction. "

Joey simply listened but did not exactly understand it all. He simply nodded his head in the appropriate places. Joey glanced around – was it just him, or was the vein or whatever Ryou called it getting bigger?

"We're moving into the superior vena cave now. " Kaiba announced. "We'll be entering the heart shortly…"

**x x x x x**

Everything happened in a rush appear that. All that Yugi could remember was moving faster and faster towards a wide opening. Faintly, he could hear his own heart pumping. Lub-dup, lub-dup, lub-dup… Then they were sucked into the depths of the heart.

For a few brief seconds, they could look around the interior of the heart. They were currently inside a small chamber, with the blood level rising. It was fairly dark, with only the muscles of the heart gleaming. A flash of electricity flashed across the top of the chamber and then they were moving faster, downwards, towards an ominous circular opening that was currently closed. It looked like a door found in futuristic spaceships, the ones that dilated open instead of simply swinging open. Three round flaps, resembling bumps, kept the chamber they were in closed, and quite frankly, Ryou hoped that it would stay that way. He knew what was coming up and was trying to make his stomach understand that, but he couldn't just stop a heart from beating. At that moment the heart contracted and they found themselves being slammed into the "door."

__

WHUMP.

Before anyone could manage an "Ouchie," the door popped open from the pressure and they fell down a waterfall of blood, deeper into yet another chamber. They were, quite literally, in the bottom of the heart. Overhead, they could hear the "door" closing again.

LUB.

No sooner than they had gotten their bearings (they were currently inside a huge pump, waiting to get shot to who-knows-where) and had regained their seats on their cell than the heart contracted again. They were blasted upwards, towards yet another "door." This one had only two flaps, and looked a lot thicker and stronger than the previous one. Ryou braced himself for the impact.

__

WHAM.

Then the door popped open, and they zoomed out, like being shot out of a cannon. Some of them almost fell off their cell in the rising velocity. Tristan had only half a seat, and Tea was practically hugging the cell beneath her. Behind them, they could hear "door #2" slam shut, this time with more force.

DUP.

The blood around them was branching off. One artery went to the right, one to the left. They were faced with the great pathway dilemma – which one of the two paths before them should they take? One could possibly lead to death and destruction, and the other to life and happiness. Or neither — they could both be equally fair to take…

"Right or left, Kaiba?" Tristan yelled.

Kaiba shrugged. It was guess-and-check here; the neuron had mentioned nothing about this. "Doesn't matter! Just go to the left!"

Everyone struggled to steer towards the left. Fortunately, no one was left behind, although Yugi almost slipped towards the right passage. Tristan had grabbed a hold of Yugi's cell before he was separated from the group.

They were traveling at a quick pace, when they were hit by another wave of blood. Again, they zoomed forward – the heart had beat again, and another fresh load of blood was being pumped to the lungs.

"Whhheeeee!" Joey yelled. This was the ultimate roller coaster ride.

Ryou was hoping he'd shut up. His stomach was rolling, and his face was positively green. Addition of noise or even screams of approval would not help his stomach settle.

//Oh, such pity. The poor mortal's going to be sick.//

Tea was not faring any better. She never did like roller coasters; they made her dizzy to the point of nausea. Thankfully, their speed slowed down as they entered the capillaries of the lungs. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, except for Joey and Tristan.

"Awwww, man. It's over." Joey grumbled as the pace slowed down.

Yugi was looking around, amazed at the millions of things he saw. The lungs, or rather, his lungs, were doing something that the New York Stock Exchange could only dream of. Instead of stocks, carbon dioxide and oxygen were being exchanged for each other, like a massive swap. In essence, the red blood cells were trading carbon dioxide for more valuable oxygen. Yugi and the rest were currently in one of the tiniest capillaries in the body, so thin that a single gas molecule can pass through the thin walls. Bunches of grapes that were actually a group of alveoli, or air sacs, were letting oxygen and carbon dioxide go back and forth. They looked like skinned grapes, the outside gleaming, while being crisscrossed by capillaries. Yugi was pushed aside a little as the red blood cell beneath him gave up carbon dioxide and began to carry oxygen. Yugi could see hundreds, thousands, of little alveoli, all working to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide. Yugi's body inhaled, and another fresh load of air flowed in. Exhalation and the group inside Yugi's body rose as the old air was pushed out.

But even then, the wondrous beauty of the human lung was marred. Ebola was also at work here, for it too was eating away at the delicate alveoli. Runny blood was beginning to drip down to the bottom of the lung, to pool in a mess of buzzed blood cells and mucus. To those who looked down, it was enough to make their stomachs swirl again.

Then the lungs heaved up and down. Everyone was a bit shaken; it was so sudden and quick.

"What was that?" Joey exclaimed.

Shadi was shocked. Symptoms were occurring more rapidly than he thought. "It was a hiccup."

"That was a _hiccup_?"

"Yes. Hiccuping is a common symptom of Ebola. It occurs when Ebola begins to attack the lungs."

__

One of the symtoms of Ebola is, oddly enough, hiccuping. No other infectious disease is known for this.

Shadi was worried. The ravager was attacking more fiercely than he thought. Ebola shouldn't have gotten this far this quickly, and from what he had seen in the heart, they did not have much time.

"We should hurry. We do not have much time." Shadi urged.

"Why?" The ever-young question.

"Ebola is moving faster than I thought. The lungs are naturally vulnerable, but I did not expect to see symptoms so soon. Although many of you may not have noticed it, the heart is also feeling the effects of Ebola. It is beginning to bleed within itself as well.

__

The heart bleeds into itself, softening with hemorrhages running into its chambers. Blood squeezes out of the heart muscle as the heart beats, and it seeps into the chest cavity.

"It will take some time for Ebola to truly damage the heart. I believe we have only ten hours left."

Ten? That was a lot less than a full 24 hours… over half of the time slashed off, gone…

"We'd better move on, then." They all turned forwards again, back towards the heart, or rather, towards the biggest roller coaster of their lives.

**x x x x x**

Again, they began to pool together in a gradually larger and larger vein. The funny thing was, this was one of the few veins in the entire body that actually carried oxygenated blood. Every other vein carried deoxygenated blood. Ryou could see the difference – everything was a bit brighter, a bit more red. Of course, he couldn't ponder over this very long, since in a short while, he entered into the second small chamber, or as he recalled in biology class, the left atrium. Somewhere in here, Ebola lurked, eating away at heart muscle...

Events then occurred at break-neck speed, even faster than before. First the downpour of blood, then the atrium was squeezed, where they were forced out of the left atrium and into the left ventricle – the meaner, bigger, and much stronger brother of the previous right ventricle. Far up ahead, the sound of the bicuspid valve was sealed shut and the ventricles contracted.

This time, Yugi and the gang shot off in a blaze of glory, rockets and blood waves. They slammed through the semi-lunar valve, barely feeling the effects of bashing into hard objects. They surged and swelled forward in a tidal wave of blood into the aorta, the biggest artery of them all. Far behind them, the semi-lunar valves were pulled shut.

Immediately, Kaiba began yelling out directions. "We have to go left! This one!" Kaiba pointed frantically at a rapidly approaching left branch.

Everyone jerked their cells towards where Kaiba was pointing. Well, they would have jerked them, if everyone had been actually on their cell. But for those that did not like or were unused to high-speed moving objects, the recent events caused them to fall off their cell. Tea was hanging on with only one hand; Yugi was only half on his cell, the lower half of him wiggling for all he was worth. Tristan was crouching low into his cell as if it were a motorcycle going at 60 mph. Shadi's turban had managed to become partly undone, and Kaiba had unfortunately slipped while pointing at the correct passageway. Ryou, the poor soul, was squeezing Joey so hard that he was leaving bruises – both on Joey and himself. Joey was busy trying to pry Ryou's hands while staying on top of the cell.

No sooner than everyone had gotten back onboard or fixed any of the numerous problems and had made the proper steering adjustments when a new tidal surge came crashing behind them. Everyone lurched as the new wave shoved them forward, luckily into the right artery.

After everyone regained their footing again, Kaiba yelled again. "Right! Right!"

More lurching. After a few hectic swerves and near-misses, Kaiba gave a near-gasp (he would never admit that he was tired) and said, "That's it. We go straight ahead from here."

A grateful sigh could be heard. No more sudden turns or twists. Now the only thing they had to worry about was the heart behind them sending another "present" of a tidal wave, complete with hugs and kisses. That and the pharaoh they were racing ahead to save…

**x x x x x**

They reached the brain in a few seconds. The brain was also a marvel to see – it was not simply "gray matter." It was massive amounts of neurons bunched together, around 100 billion neurons, processing billions bits of information every second. Sparks of electricity glittered and went, moving along the trillions of connections at speeds of 250 mph. It was like a cosmic dance of a billion stars, flashing and twinkling. Chemical and electrical impulses transmitted back and forth within the King of Games' brain. Here, the genius of the pharaoh was locked within the convolutions and twists of the mysterious world of the brain.

It was the brain stem, however, that Shadi lead them towards. They passed underneath a forest of dendrites, feathery hands waving down on them. Everything was not all spectacle and wonder, as Ebola too was leaving its mark. It was attacking the nerve cells, eating away at the connections. They could feel heat and pain beneath their feet as the brain throbbed. Finally Shadi stopped in front of a long, curved part of the brain, and they looked at the end of their physical journey within the body.

"This is the hippocampus. It is where the brain forms and stores memories. It is where we must begin the search for the seven memories of the millenium items."

Shadi held the Millenium Ankh against the neuron and turned the Ankh. Everything swirled and changed, the sights growing brighter and brighter in the brilliant white light…

**x x x x x**

Hollow footsteps echoed within the hallway. Like before, Shadi emerged from the tunnel of light, although this time he had six other followers. A long corridor lay ahead of them, with two doors to the left and right. Shadi, Ryou, and Yugi immediately recognized them as Yugi's and his other self's soul rooms. The others were obviously confused.

"Where the heck are we?" Joey wondered, looking around at the decor.

"And what's with the doors?" Tristan asked, jabbing at the one towards their right.

Yugi sheepishly rubbed his head. "Um, well guys, you're in my mind."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. That was an interesting way to put it.

Yugi pointed towards his soul room, which was currently closed. The door was small and light, with a feeling of welcome and happiness beyond it. "That's my soul room. It's where I am when Yami's controlling my body."

"Huh." Joey looked at it, and then moved towards it. "Wonder why it's closed…" He took the doorknob and turned it. The door opened to reveal bright colors and toys strewn around the place. However, not all of it was pure innocence — in a far corner duel monster cards were carefully stacked and ordered, and various papers scribbled with calculations and musings. A few boxes were also set aside, labeled with various memories such as "Getting the Millenium Puzzle," "Solving the Millenium Puzzle," and "Dueling Pegasus."

Yugi was a bit embarrassed to see his inner self revealed to all. He quickly moved over towards his room and closed it shut. "Um, yeah."

Tea, however, was looking at the other door on the opposite side. "What's that door?" It was made of heavy iron, with the Eye of Horus carved in gold on the front. The nearby walls were made of ancient stone, settled and hard to budge. It had a mysterious feel to it, of secrets yet unknown.

Shadi answered her question. "That is the pharaoh's chambers. We must begin there."

He walked over to the ominous door and opened it with no trouble. He turned his head towards the rest of the group, save Ryou and Yugi, who were peering as far as they could into the darkness without actually moving towards it. "If we may enter…"

Everyone hurriedly crossed over the boundary line and entered Yami's soul room. Made of aging limestone, it was dank and dark, dreary with the burden of knowledge of five millennia. The group cautiously walked through the room. It was, as Shadi once observed, like the tomb of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Up above, hieroglyphics were etched into the stone walls. In a few places, the walls were scrubbed clean, shining with white luster. But the rest was still tarnished with the dust of time. Here and there, there was debris on the floor, fallen from the unkempt areas.

"Where's Yami? Isn't he supposed to be here?" Tea asked in the silence, wondering where the mysterious being was.

"He is currently in the outside world, and will not return until Yugi resumes control." Shadi was not looking at Tea when he spoke, for he was gazing into the darkness.

Yugi was wondering about his darker counterpart. How was he faring against Ebola? And why hadn't he said something when Yugi and the rest had entered his soul room, the most secret place of his being?

/Yami?/

//Aibou?// The answer was slurred and slow.

/Are you okay? What are they doing to you? You don't sound too good./

//No, I am not. I have a fever, as you feared beforehand, a pounding headache, and have been vomiting constantly.//

__

The vomiting never stops. Over and over he keeps hacking up liquid long after his stomach should have been empty.

//Every part of me aches, aibou.// What Yami did not tell his hikari was that his head felt like it was going to split open, the hospital room was swirling around in circles, and his eyes were beginning to bleed.

__

Ebola even attacks the lining of the eyeball. Your eyeballs may fill up with blood, you may go blind. You may even weep blood, blood that comes from your own eyelids. Blood can runs down from your eyes down your cheeks, refusing to coagulate.

His throat was so sore he could not speak nor eat, which made his hiccups hurt even more. Yes, even the King of Games could be a victim to a bout of hiccups. It took all of his effort to simply lay in the hospital bed. His skin was beginning to show the signs of a severe rash, although Yami had not scratched it at all.

__

The skin becomes spotted with red dots. This is called petechiae, which are hemorrhages under the skin.

Yugi was worried. Even though Yami had not told him, he could feel the suffering that his other self was going through. It was probably why Yami had not noticed them entering his soul room; Ebola was beginning to mess with his mind.

/Okay. That's it./ Yugi stated flatly. /You wanted to take my place because you didn't want me to go through the pain. Now I don't want you to take any more of this. I say we switch./

//No, aibou.// Yami replied faintly.

/What? You're hurt, and sick, and took enough of my pain. I can face it now; I'm fine./

//No…it's…not…your time…yet.// Yami's response flickered. //It's still…my…fight.//

/Your fight? We're partners, Yami! We both have to face this together!/ Yugi realized that he was speaking to no one. Yami had either fallen asleep from painkillers…or had passed out. Yugi fervently hoped it wasn't the latter.

Yugi opened his eyes, which had closed in the quick mind-spoken exchange he had with Yami. Everyone was staring at him strangely. Yugi looked down. His hands had clenched into fists sometime in the conversation, and his eyes were tearing up. Yugi quickly scrubbed them away, and tried to explain his worry. "Yami's not doing so good. I wanted to switch with him, but he wouldn't let me."

"He cannot." Shadi simply stated. "We cannot search his memories if he is here with us, because then his memories would be locked to all except himself. With him in the outside world, we are able to search his memories, because they are open to us."

What Shadi did not say was, Yami must now face Ebola…alone.

Ryou could feel his other self gloating at this unspoken bit of news.

//Heh-heh-heh…With that nosy pharaoh out of the way, I can search for his hidden secrets and power for myself…//

/No you won't, Bakura. We're here to save him./

//Well, you might, mortal, but I care about power, not saving some upstart pharaoh.//

Ryou closed his fist. /I'm not going to let you, Bakura. You can look for all that power later, but right now I'm going to help Yugi./

Bakura laughed. //And I'm going to help myself.//

Ryou would have responded, but the rest of the group was moving farther into the chamber, beginning to search. He quickly trotted to catch up, trying to ignore Bakura's last words.

//And you're not going to stop me.//

Yugi and the rest were aimlessly wandering the many hallways and stairs. As they probed deeper and deeper within Yami's unconscious mind, they found mind-boggling amounts of doors, none of which looked like one that could help them. Stairs went up and down, left and right, defying the laws of physics and geometry. They had entered the biggest, most confusing maze of them all. Joey got frustrated at the confusion of it all, and wanted to see just what was in these millions of look-alike doors anyway.

Yugi turned to see Joey crack open a door. A sense of warning flashed in his mind, a warning of danger, and he screamed, "Don't do it Joey! It's a trap!" His little legs churned as he tried to get Joey out of the way.

Joey had gotten the door half open and had turned to see Yugi waving wildly when a colossal weight came crashing down, right in front of the entranceway. He stumbled and fell back, his butt landing on the cool stone floor as he watched something with the weight of a million anvils crush into the ground. His hair flew back from the air that rushed out of the room.

Yugi collapsed next to him. "I…told…you…to…watch out."

Joey's eyes goggled at the door. It was now closed not by the actual door, but by a big fat weight. If Joey had walked in, there would have been nothing left of Joseph Wheeler except a large red splotch on the floor. That is, if the weight were taken off. "Geez, that's dangerous. Why does Yami do that?"

"It's…not…his…fault." Yugi panted.

Kaiba looked down at the two. How sweet and sickening. "If you two are done, may we continue our former wandering in this maze?"

Joey stood up, still shaken. He looked a bit warily at the doors around him. "Are all of these things traps?"

"No. Some of them hold memories." Shadi walked over towards a different door. His Ankh glowed; showing him what was beyond it. "This one, for example."

Shadi opened the metal door, and within they could see Yami, playing a shadow game in defense of Yugi. It was against the bully that had demanded 2000 yen from Yugi. Knives flashed in the middle of the memory-night. The bully lost, and they saw Yami use mind crush to punish the loser, making him believe leaves were worth money. Shadi closed the door, the memory over.

"Well. That was amusing." Kaiba said indifferently. Losers never made much impression on him. "Like I said before, can we move along?"

"But we don't even know what to look for." Joey whined.

"Oh, stop your whimpering, you whiny puppy. I'm getting sick of it."

"PUPPY! I AM NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT!" Joey yelled and stalked over.

"So what will you take? Mongrel?"

The two began to bicker back and forth. The rest of the group left them behind, deciding to let them battle it out for once. Everyone was getting tired of Kaiba snipping and Joey's behavior.

"Dog, huh? Then I challenge you to a duel!" Joey whipped out his deck.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. I could finish you off in three minutes."

"Says who?"

"Hey, look at this, guys!" Yugi interrupted the ever-lasting debate. "I think I found something!"

Everyone turned towards the voice of Yugi. The actual Yugi couldn't be seen.

"Where the heck are you, Yugi?" Tristan yelled.

"Over here!"

"That helps," Joey grumbled as he ran towards Yugi's voice. "Where?"

"Here!"

Eventually, everyone made it to Yugi. They stood in front of yet another door, but this one was set apart from the others. Like the rest of the doors, it was made of metal, enforced with iron around the edges. But in the center, the millenium puzzle shape was imprinted into it, and filled with gold. Beneath the puzzle, strange markings were carved into the door as well.

Everyone turned towards Shadi. He shook his head. "I do not know what they mean."

Yugi shrugged. "I think this is where we have to start. It has the puzzle on the door – maybe this is the first piece."

"How did you find it anyway, Yugi? You were so far ahead of us, and this hallway was practically hidden." Ryou wondered.

"I, I don't really know, actually." Yugi rubbed the puzzle hanging around his neck. "I just felt something tugging me this way. Maybe it was the puzzle; maybe its magic brought me here. I don't know."

"Umm, well then, should we look inside, then?" Ryou pointed out.

"Finally, a good idea, for once." Kaiba reached over, and swung open the door. They never expected it. This time, they did not merely observe a memory play itself. Instead, the memory took them. A burst of intense light, and they were there. Inside. Within the pharaoh's memory.

**O O O O O O O**

It was another day ruling Egypt. The same old business, the same messes to sort out. Why must everyone come to the pharaoh to fix it? There are certainly enough capable people around.

I sighed. My father never told me ruling could be this tedious. All that I saw in my childhood was the glory of leading, of whatever I said would be law. I used to dream of the time when I would wear the long, swirling purple cloak, the golden bands around my arms, the golden manacles, the golden headband with the Eye of Horus upon it, the over-adorned golden collar, and yes, the golden Millenium Puzzle. I believe that I was a little obsessed with shiny, golden objects back then. Now, the ornaments are heavy and tiring to bear. Not only must I robe myself like a peacock, but I also must appear regal and powerful while being smothered underneath. Sometimes, I wish that I could somehow return to my younger days, when I was just the little prince and not Pharoah Yami.

The six high priests and I sat in the throne room, dealing with the usual regular business. To my far left stood Priest Karim, who held the Millennium Scales. On the opposite side stood my faithful Priest Mahado, holder of the Millennium Ring. I knew that I could always trust him to do his best. Next to them stood Priestess Isis, who wore the Millenium Necklace, and Priest Shadi, who guarded the Millenium Ankh. Standing on my left stood Priest Akunadin, controller of the Millenium Eye, brother of my father.

On my right stood Priest Seto, my strong right arm. He is always there, honest to the kingdom and to me, the Pharaoh. As usual, he wore his purple robes, favoring the flowing cloak that ran down his back. In his hands he held the Millenium Rod. Self-confidant and occasionally arrogant, he gestured at the groveling merchant before the throne.

"Pharaoh, this lowly one has been charged with stealing from the granary."

"Is this true, Shadi?" I asked, turning my head.

The Millenium Ankh flared, and read the hidden secrets. "It is as he said."

I waved a hand. "Begin the extraction." Those who stole had to be punished, according to the law.

Like the millions of times before, Akunadin used the Eye to draw out the thief's Ka, or monster. Then Seto sealed the monster away inside a stone tablet, leaving the man helpless. When the Ka of someone is gone, the person is left soulless, unable to do anything.

"Take him away." The servants dragged the body away, to the mines. He would be made to do menial jobs until he died.

I wished that I could yawn, although that would not be fitting for the son of Ra. Suddenly, Isis gasped and placed a slender hand on the Millenium Necklace.

"Evil…"

"What?" Seto turned around to face the woman. I quickly grabbed him before he could make some rash comment.

"What do you see, Isis?" I asked.

"I sense something approaching, of danger, death and revenge…" Isis' eyes gazed off into nothingness.

Each one of us tapped into our millenium items, trying to search for the threat that Isis warned about. Then my devoted servant Simon burst into the throne.

"Your Highness!" He quickly bowed his old head, grizzled with age.

I hastily dispelled the magic of the Puzzle and looked down at Simon. He once served my father, Pharaoh Akunumkanon, and now serves me.

"What is it, Simon?" I stared down at his quivering form. Something must have frightened him badly.

He lifted his head, his large purple eyes raising, but not daring to meet the living son of Ra. "I have heard terrible news from the villages. People are dying, Pharaoh, in numbers I have never seen before. They die from some evil sickness, some disease that eats away at their bodies before they fall. Blood bursts and splatters; they cannot stop bleeding. They say demons have come back for revenge. The people cry out, Pharaoh. They—"

"That is enough, Simon, good and faithful servant. I thank you for your warning, and I shall take care of the rest." I swept my arm towards the door. "You may go now." He left, leaving only the six priests and myself in the throne room.

I turned towards Akunadin again. "Is it as he said?" I kept my voice calm and unmoving, although fear for my people rose.

He was slightly startled. He most likely expected me to act worried or anxious, considering that I am so young to be pharaoh. But I merely waited for an answer.

Akunadin used the power of the Millenium Eye to see what was happening in the villages of Egypt. Although I could not see what he witnessed, I could see his face slowly become pallid and weak. The images that he saw must be horrific indeed.

Finally, he spoke. "It is as he said, Pharaoh. A great plague has come upon the kingdom. I saw men, women, and children die in front of my eyes. Panic is strewn across the land. And red blood flows within the streets."

I closed my eyes. Another trial that I must face as Pharaoh – although if this were a trial of my abilities, the gods had no sense of proportion. Wasn't it enough that my father died so young and left me to take the throne? Wasn't it enough that I must sustain control over an ever-rebellious group of magicians? Wasn't it enough that monsters had been unleashed, and only just been sealed away? I regretfully remembered that only a few moments past, I had been thinking that this was all monotone and wearisome. The old saying, "May you live in interesting times" came back to haunt me.

My people were crying out to me for help. I am the pharaoh; I must protect them. But how? What was killing them? Is there a reason for their deaths? And how can I stop this? Not even the Millenium Puzzle has power over life and death…

It was Isis who expressed all of our fears. "What are we going to do? Oh, what are we going to do?"

**O O O O O O O**

Everyone reeled from the memory. For that time, they had actually been a part of Yami's ancient past. The intimacy was so close that each one of them shivered from the powerful memory. Would each door do that to do them – bring them into Yami's world, into the land of Egypt?

Yugi placed a shaking hand on the now closed door. He traced the symbol of the puzzle. He had felt some of Yami's memories before, but nothing of this intensity. To be a part of his other self's memory was a wonder and a fear to him…

Kaiba was inwardly denying what he had just been through. What he saw couldn't have been real. It was a fake, a disillusion, a lie. For he had seen himself, serving the Pharaoh…

Joey asked the all-important question. "What the heck was that?"

* * *

**Biological Footnotes:**

Lymphatic system – part of the immune / transport system. Like how red blood cells travel in the circulatory system with capillaries and arteries and whatnot, white blood cells have the ability to travel through the circulatory system and the lymphatic system as well. The lymphatic system has lymph, or plasma (aka clear stuff), instead of blood, and is linked with lymph nodes. White blood cells gather in the lymph nodes.

Superior vena cave - (pronounced "cah-veh," not the "cave" with bats) The big fat vein that gathers all of the blood from the top of the body (above the heart) and brings it to the heart. There is an inferior vena cave as well, which gathers all of the blood from the lower part of the body. They both meet at the same place.

Yes, you actually have electricity within your body. That's why lightning or an overdose of electricity can kill you - it messes with your heart. The flash they saw came from sino atriol node, a nerve that tells the atriums of the heart to beat. (LoneWolf: Oooh, pretty. Djanil: _(whack)_ )

_Heart Travel:_ (Geek Alert)  
LoneWolf: We are now entering the heart. Please fasten all seatbelts and enjoy the ride.  
Djanil: ...Only you would say that.  
LoneWolf: A little info on the heart first: one, the heart is actually made up of four chambers. The four chambers are separated into two sections - right and left. Alright, so first the gang went into the right atrium. The first "door" they went through is actually a valve separating the right atrium to the right ventricle. This valve is called the tricuspid valve. The heart has valves so that when it contracts (pumps) the blood doesn't go the wrong way (backwards). That would be very bad if it did. The gang then entered the right ventricle. What happened was that pressure within the right atrium pushed open the tricuspid valve a little. The blood begins to pour down into the right ventricle, but not all of it. The heart beats to fill the right ventricle up to capacity, and what happened to poor Ryou and the rest was that since the valve is not exactly open all of the way, they hit the "door" while passing through. (Djanil: So cruel. LoneWolf: Yup. They survived, though. _(evil grin)_ ) The "LUB" was the sound of the tricuspid valve and the bicuspid valve closing. Remember that I said the heart was divided left to right? The bicuspid valve is the one separating the left atrium from the left ventricle (the other two chambers). So anyway, the sound of a heartbeat is not actually the actual sound of the heart contracting; it's really the sound of the valves closing. The first part of the heartbeat (the "lub") was the first set of valves closing. The second "door" they passed through (well, slammed through) is called the semi-lunar valve. This one, unfortunately, did not open partway… The "DUP" is the sound of the semi-lunar valves closing. The second half of the heartbeat. The second time the gang entered the heart, the chamber they entered is bigger because it has to pump body to the entire body, not just to the lungs which are right next door. By the way, they have just finished the pulmonary circuit and are entering the systemic circuit. The pulmonary circuit is the one the circles from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart. The systemic circuit is the one that circles from the heart to the body and back again.

The two arteries they first exited from the heart are called the pulmonary arteries. They are the only arteries that carry deoxygenated blood.

There are actually three parts of the brain. The cerebrum, which is the big, gray part, controls reasoning, logic, intellect— (Djanil: which you do not have. LoneWolf: _(glares)_ ) — and language skills. The cerebellum, also called the "mini-brain," is like a small brain tucked underneath the big one (cerebrum). It coordinates the muscles and plays a part in emotional development. The brain stem, however, is more like an extension of the spinal cord. It controls your body functions – heart, lungs, stomach, etc. That "right brain / left brain" stuff you learned in school is part of the cerebrum.

**Author Notes:**

Okay, first - to all those readers out there that think I'm a sadist for wanting to torture Yugi / Yami / people: That was a joke. I don't really want to _torture_ Yugi / Yami. However, since Ebola does cause excruciating pain (well, until all their brain is fried XD), they will suffer. And for those that worry that I'm going to kill people: I assure you that I will not let both Yugi and Yami die. Now, both MIGHT live, or MAYBE only one will survive…and I'm not telling, because if I tell you, then that ruins the fic. I will not kill main characters (exempting Yugi / Yami). If people die, I have a good reason why.

Also, a reminder - this fic is partly science fiction. Therefore, I can mess around with the science aspect. I assure you, I put a lot of research into this (right now, I have no less than 10 books right next to me for reference) and I am not going to screw up some little biology fact. But this is science _fiction_, related to fantasy, so I can alter what I want.

(Altered) NOW MUST THANK REVIEWERS: BIG HAPPY MUCHO THANKEE to **benign sadist, shitsumon, High Crystal Guardian** _(shining eyes)_**yami blue eyes white dragon, yugiohluver, ACME-Rian, takuya,** and **DarkChao1663**. (Review replies have been moved to my website.)

LoneWolf: Can I just say one thing? _(grins)_ SUB-PLOT SUB-PLOT SUB-PLOT SUB-PLOT! _(ubber-super-wide-evil grin)_

Djanil: -.-;;;;

LoneWolf: Don't worry, biology fans. It'll come back. I'm sorry this fic takes a while to move along, but I can't very well have them jump from the thymus gland all the way to the brain. For one, how'd heck that work, and two, that's no fun. It was a lot of fun to force the gang through the heart.

Hope I got the right point-of-view for Yami. He'd hard to write – it's in the past, so it'd be like past-tense, except that this is a memory playing back, so it'd sorta be in the present, and plus, Yami's inner thoughts are hard to interpret.

_(waves)_So thanks for reading this chapter in advance! Oh, by the way, if you've been wondering what Yami and the rest of the world has been doing all this time, you'll find out next chapter! Ebola will haunt again!


	6. The Outside World

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If you did, you are sadly mistaken.   
Note: As of 4/28/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. Original format is on mediaminer(dot)org. Over THERE I have used quotes from:   
Draper, Allison S. _Ebola_. Epidemics: Deadly Diseases Throughout History. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2002.  
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. _Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world_. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. _The Hot Zone_. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.  
Stetter, Cornelius. _The Secret Medicine of the Pharaohs: Ancient Egyptian Healing_. Carol Stream, IL: Edition Q, 1993.  
Over HERE on fanfiction(dot)net I have REMOVED all quotes and instead replaced them with italized, impersonal, viewpoints. Aka ME. My quotations, my way. XD I do not own any other snippit of stuff I quote from. But I haven't, over here. You got that?

//…// is yami to hikari/…/ is hikari to yami. Note: this chapter has Ebola symptoms. If you know anything about Ebola, it is gross and most likely disturbing. This is why this fic is PG-13. Just a warning to you all.

With that done…onto chapter six!

* * *

_...To those who stand on the outside, they weep..._

__

Chapter Six: The Outside World

There was dead silence. No one spoke; each one was still trying to get a hang of what had just happened to them. In that all too brief span of time, they had seen Yami in his past, when he ruled the greatest civilization on earth. They had actually been a part of Yami, read his very thoughts, felt his duty to protect his people...

Tristan, Joey and Tea were either the most affected or the least affected by what they had just been through. Least, because it was just ancient history: dead, old, and forgotten. It was supposed to be distant, supposed to be left behind. But on the other hand, they were the most affected, because they had seen "living" history. Yami's past was real; and now they couldn't deny it in the back of their heads.

Yugi still had his hand upon the cold iron door. Finally, he had seen Yami's ancient past. Yugi could actually _be_ his other self, when Yami was at the height of his power and glory. This was his other's self when he was alive, when Yami was pharaoh. This was the true Yami; the one Yugi had been searching for.

For Ryou, the memory had no adverse effects on him. It didn't quite disturb him; he knew who Yami had been, and it didn't really surprise him. Bakura, on the other hand…

Bakura had been back in his homeland. Ancient Egypt, where sands swept, the Nile ran and he was a free tomb robber, free to raid every blinking pharaoh's tomb around. He had been back home. In his soul room, Bakura had also been a part of Yami's memories. The thought that this was the pharaoh's memory, his mortal enemy, revolted him. It was Him that cursed him to be in the Ring. Bakura hated his guts for that. But then again, for that brief moment in time, Bakura had been _home_. Bakura was split in two; he abhorred being so close to that ruler, detested the very thoughts. But he longed to return, hungered for more, to go back.

Ryou knew that feeling as well. They both did; and both denied that the other knew.

Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, millionaire, a Duel Monsters Champion, and perhaps the most powerful person in Domino City, was brought to his knees by this single memory.

Literally.

For a long time, he had tried to deny what Ishizu had said on that one night, long ago. She had said that he had once been a priest to the pharaoh, and that the pharaoh was Yugi. Or at least, Yugi's other self. She had used that cursed magic of that Necklace of hers to make him witness a battle long ago.

Afterwards, Kaiba tried to deny it all. It was just a figment of his imagination; he hadn't really seen all of that. Cheap hocus pocus, all of it. He was _not_ a reincarnation of a priest; he was just Kaiba. Seto Kaiba. And for some time, Kaiba thought it worked. It was just a lie. It wasn't real.

Human denial is very, very powerful.

But now, with the reality of Yami's memory in front of him, Kaiba could not deny it any longer. He had seen Yami acknowledge his high priest Seto, had seen his ancient self serve the pharaoh. Kaiba had seen himself in the ancient garments, knowing that the person wearing them was indeed, his past self…

On his knees, Kaiba desperately tried to deny it. He closed his eyes and tried to erase the images of his past self, tried to forget it all. But that face kept coming back, that familiar face, the one that he knew for his own.

Shadi was the only one left in the same state of mind as he was before they experienced Yami's memory. Still calm, collected, and sane. Still in control. Still understanding.

Joey's question was still hanging in the air. Just what did happen?

"Each item holds part of the story. Each door holds a part of the memory of the pharaoh. As we search for the seven items, we will be part of the ancient chronicles."

Joey's mouth was agape. "We gotta go through that _again?_"

Shadi nodded. "This was only the beginning of the tale."

This was a bit of a shock. Yugi turned around at this, Ryou jerked his head up (a reaction by Bakura), and Kaiba looked up from his, um, "subordinate" position.

Joey noticed this. And he couldn't help it. "Hey Kaiba, why are you playing doggie?"

Kaiba looked back down at his hands. He didn't exactly remember falling down into this position. Growling, he stood up and brushed his trench-coat of the dust from the floor. "I was not playing anything, Wheeler. The memory simply made me slip for a second."

"Sure didn't look like it."

"Can you guys just stop?" Tea wearily asked. The Joey-Kaiba debate was getting tiring.

"We have only about nine and a half hours before it is too late to save the pharaoh."

Everyone turned back towards Shadi.

"So we have to find the other six memories before that?" Joey looked around. Corridors in every direction, doors everywhere, trick entrances – a heck of a maze. "That's gonna take a looonngg time…"

Tristan looked at his watch. "Are we going to be here the whole time?"

Shadi cocked his head. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I've got a research paper to do, chemistry to study, Serenity to call, and sleep to catch. I don't have time to waste."

Joey growled at the thought of Tristan romancing with his sister.

Shadi answered Tristan's question. "We will stay here until our task is complete."

"What? What are my parents going to be thinking? I'm gonna be gone for nine hours?"

"Yes."

"Wait a second. We are going to be here for the next nine hours? What about the rest of the world? Have we like, disappeared?" Joey interrupted.

"Yes. Your mind, your consciousness is here. Your body, however, is temporarily, shall we say, 'soulless.' "

Joey looked at him in shock. "So you are saying that out there," Joey waved his hand, "our bodies are like mindless zombies?"

"That is correct."

Worry flitted across their faces. Somewhere out there, someone was going to find their slumped bodies. They began to worry about just who was going to find their mindless bodies.

Things were definitely going to be very…weird…out there…

**x x x x x**

"Honey? Tea dear? It's time to go to bed." Mrs. Gardener peeked into her daughter's room. "Tea?"

Tea did not respond. She looked as if she were napping on her table. Mrs. Gardener smiled. Fell asleep while doing homework again. She always told Tea to do it beforehand, but Tea wanted to check up on her friends.

"Tea, come on. Go to sleep on the bed, not the table." Mrs. Gardener walked over towards her daughter. "Tea?"

She shook her daughter's shoulder. Tea's head then rolled, and Mrs. Gardener saw wide-open, blank, blue, eyes. The eyes of a dead person. But this was her daughter…

Mrs. Gardener screamed.

**x x x x x**

"Joey?"

Serenity Wheel was a little worried about her big brother. He had come into the house muttering stuff about his friend Yugi and then went straight to his room and began pacing back and forth. She tried to help her brother, but Joey waved her off, saying that he didn't want her to get involved.

But this was her older brother. She needed to be there for him, just like how he was there for her. Serenity cracked the door open and peeped.

Joey was slumped over on the ground, as if he had been stuck by lightning again. With a cry, Serenity rushed in and kneeled over her brother. His eyes were wide open, but the sparkle of life that Serenity loved about him was gone.

Serenity got down on her knees and cried over her brother. With her head over his chest, she could feel, ever so slightly, his great heart beating.

He was still alive.

**x x x x x**

"Son? It's time to go to bed. You need to get a good night's rest." Mr. Taylor spoke through his son Tristan's door.

No response.

"Tristan?"

Nothing.

Confused at his son's lack of reply, Mr. Taylor entered the room. Tristan was crumpled beside the bed, probably from falling off of it. Smiling, Mr. Taylor walked over towards his son to wake him and tell him how to properly sleep in a bed.

"Tristan, the idea of a bed is to—" Mr. Taylor stopped. His son, whose eyes were normally calm brown, were wide with astonishment.

Startled, Mr. Taylor looked down into foreign eyes. No, this couldn't be. This was not his son…

"GRACE!"

**x x x x x**

A doorbell buzzed in a quiet apartment. A tired, travel worn man wearing dusty clothing carried his equally worn bags up the stairs. He smiled, thinking that finally he would be able to see his son after five, long months. It had been too long.

He happily opened the door. "Ryou! I'm home!"

There was no rush of open arms. No familiar white head, no quiet smile.

"Ryou?"

He set down his bags and went to his son's room. Maybe he was sleeping. It was late, after all.

The door was still open. Puzzled, he looked in.

His son was, well, it could have been called sitting. But his arms were hanging to his side, his head lolled over to the right, and body totally limp. Confused, Ryou's father walked closer and turned to see Ryou's face.

The Ring that he had given Ryou was glowing. And Ryou's soft brown eyes were empty and dull.

His father's own eyes widened. What had happened?…

**x x x x x**

"Big brother? Are you done yet? Can we play a game of chess? You promised!"

Little Mokuba Kaiba trotted towards his older brother's office. It was actually past his bed-time, but Seto had promised…

"Seto? Are you done?"

Mokuba punched in the little code in the keypad and opened the door. "Ni-sama?"

His big brother had fallen asleep while working. Again. Mokuba giggled. This was the third time this week…

Mokuba walked towards the desk and poked Seto. Seto just snored, and continued to type a line of zzzzz's on his laptop.

"Big brother?" Mokuba poked him again, in Seto's ticklish spot. The one only Mokuba knew about.

No reaction.

Bewildered, Mokuba went over to the other side of the desk, where he could see Seto's face. When Mokuba looked up into his brother's face, he didn't see the closed eyes of a normal person sleep. No, poor Mokuba saw his beloved brother with eyes wide open in shock and total surprise. But the shock didn't go away; Seto's eyes kept staring into some other place, never seeing the little boy standing before them.

Then the cry of a lost child split the night.

**x x x x x**

At Domino Hospital, it was complete and total chaos.

The media had found out about Yugi and the lethal virus that was residing within him. Naturally, they wanted to get a full-blown story to stick on the front page and talk about in the evening news. And the midnight news. And the morning news. News, in general. Big, big, big news.

It was definitely big, big news for everyone in the hospital.

Doctor Seimei, Yugi's doctor, tried to keep things quiet. To let everyone know in Domino that one of their famous residents had contracted a deadly, lethal virus from an escaped monkey, which was still out on the run, would not assure people that things were in control.

Unfortunately, the media did not care about this.

Television crews barged through the hospital doors and began interviewing clueless people. When those clueless people learned that someone in the hospital was recently diagnosed with a very deadly virus that could kill them all very, very painfully, they freaked out. Mothers dragged their sniffing children right out the doors, stating that they did not want to risk their children. Some mothers ran back to the hospital and grabbed the nearest hospital volunteer, screaming "Where's my children?" A few visitors turned their heels; not wanting to get close to the room that held the ancient predator. There were traffic jams everywhere, and just when the police had finally fixed the monkey fiasco there was a mass mob driving heading out of Domino. (No donut-break for them, that's for sure.)

The _Domino Post_ reporters also added to the chaos, asking doctors and nurses on how they felt about this "outbreak." Some doctors didn't even know that Ebola was lurking within their hospital and stammered out some non-answer. Those that did were very careful not to use scary terms such as _extreme amplification, explosive chain of lethal transmission_, _index case_ or _crash and bleed_. Most of the nurses were totally clueless that they were supposedly taking care of an Ebola infected person. And for the few volunteers that still remained – well, they quickly signed out.

The cameramen were recording everything, showing it live. They captured video clips of hysterical patients, bewildered doctors, and general disorder. The concept of a hospital as being an well-ordered institution where everything was under control was fast being eroded. Nurses holding lethally hot containers full of Yugi's vomit ran around, trying to find where it was legal to put biohazardous material. Gurneys were going astray as everyone got out of their way, treating the nurses as disease carriers. (Which unfortunately, they were.) One patient, having heard what was going on and knew what Ebola stood for, ran out of the hospital with the IV still attached to his arm. As he ran out the doors he was yelling, "Run for your lives!"

All of this, caught on tape.

A living nightmare.

It also didn't help with frantic family relationships. Family can always make things worse than they already are.

Ms. Motou and Yugi's Grandpa had come straight to the hospital the moment they had heard that Yugi had gotten hurt. Telling them that their beloved son was now infected with Ebola and would most likely die was not a pleasant experience.

"What do you mean, Yugi's going to die?"

Doctor Seimei rubbed his head. He was a quiet, tall man with gentle manners and a great amount of patience. "Ms. Motou, there is nothing we can do against the virus. The most up-to-date research on Ebola is being done in the United States, and we have just called them if there was any new experiments going on with Ebola. They have none. The most we can do to help Yugi is to give him supportive therapy."

"I thought Ebola was from Africa. This is Domino City in Japan, for Pete's sake. How in the world could it have come over here?" Grandpa protested.

"I do not know that, sir. There were, however, cases in the United States and in Asia beforehand." Dr. Seimei kept his voice calm and detached. He was beginning to get a headache, and probably the first of many.

"You can't do anything? Why can't you use all of those antibiotics out there? Penicillin? "

Dr. Seimei sighed. "Antibiotics do not work on virus. This is a popular myth; contrary to belief, viruses are unaffected by antibiotics, which destroy bacteria only. Using antibiotics in an attempt to end a viral infection only helps create antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is why tuberculosis incidences are rising; more tuberculosis bacterium are resisting the antibiotics used to fight it. Yugi will not be helped in any way by antibiotics."

"There's nothing?" Ms. Motou quivered. "Is there any chance he'll…"

Dr. Seimei valiantly tried to still have hope. A doctor must never, ever, take away hope, however small it may be. "Madam, Ebola Sudan has a mortality rate of sixty percent. Ebola Zaire, ninety percent. And after seeing your son's condition, the type of Ebola he has is leaning towards the ninety-percentile range. This new strain of Ebola — Ebola Domino — if you will, is likely to be very lethal. Symptoms for Ebola Zaire typically occur within three to four days; Yugi began showing symptoms only one day after infection." Dr. Seimei paused. "However, it is possible that he might pull through."

But what were Yugi's chances? Essentially zero.

There was silence within the small office of Doctor Seimei. Ms. Motou grabbed on hold of that last sentence as if it were the last five centimeters of a lifeline. All mothers do; they never lose hope. But inwardly, Ms. Motou wailed; the cry of a mother, of a child hurt, in pain, almost lost. Grandpa despaired, now he had to lose his only grandson? He was just coming of age, just beginning to become a man, and now – now his life would be cut short?

"Can we see him, doctor? Please?" Ms. Motou begged. "He's my only son, I want to see him, I have to see him—"

"Doctor Seimei! You're needed in ER!" Nurse Kusuri burst into the room, her hair already askew, brown bangs flying, gown whirling and with a general sense of hysteria that everyone had caught.

Dr. Seimei rose, running his hand through his hair. "What is it?" He asked wearily, already walking out the door. It was going to be a long day. This was Domino Hospital, after all. Problems always arrive, whether they were needed or not.

"Five cases of unknown cause." Nurse Kusuri answered brusquely. "They are unconscious, unresponsive, but alive. No physical pain, brain activity normal. Doctor Antei and Doctor Keni have both looked at them, but can't find anything wrong. They want your opinion."

"Alright. I'll be there." Dr. Seimei turned back towards Ms. Motou and Grandpa. "You are excused." He then made a quick exit, going down the hallway towards ER. Nurse Kusuri promptly followed.

Ms. Motou and Grandpa both looked at each other, and shrugged. Might as well follow them…

They soon reached the doors of ER. Ms. Motou and Grandpa were both shocked to see some familiar faces. Yugi's mom knew both Mr. and Mrs. Gardener very well, and also Mr. Taylor. To see them all here was shocking. Did their children also get infected with Ebola? Ms. Motou's spirits fell. All of their children, struck down by this evil disease…

Coming closer, Grandpa also saw the little ones – Serenity Wheeler and Mokuba Kaiba. They were holding each other as two frightened children will do, giving comfort by both being afraid. His heart went out to them, and he moved towards them, hoping to give words of consolation that only an elder can do. But a man can do only so much.

"What's wrong, little ones?"

Mokuba sobbed into Serenity's vest. "Big brother's hurt. He didn't talk to me and he acted all funny and he didn't even say anything to me—"

Serenity patted his head and shushed him. "It's okay, Mokuba. Everything's going to be alright." She turned her trusting eyes towards Grandpa. "Why are you here, Mr. Motou? Is something wrong with Yugi?"

Grandpa sighed. "Yes." There was no other way to say it. "He is infected with Ebola and will die soon."

"What?" Serenity covered her mouth. "Oh no…Joey never said…"

"But what about you, Serenity? How is Joey?"

"Joey? Oh." Serenity turned towards the closed ER doors. "Joey's…in there." Both Mokuba and Serenity shook with silent sobs.

**x x x x x**

Inside the ER room, Dr. Seimei growled with frustration. What the heck was wrong with these people? No physical damage, reflexes were there, pulse was normal. Previous medical history said no sign of strange…whatever-this-was. Breathing, shallow but fine, blood pressure normal; brain activity as if sleeping. In fact, it was as if they really were sleeping, except for the strange unresponsive state they were in.

"You're the expert on strange cases. First those two possessed teenagers, the woman with a cracked face, the burnt kids, that man in a coma, the kid with Ebola, and now this. So what is it, Seimei? Antei and I can't find anything." Dr. Keni stared down at the face of Seto Kaiba. "What could possibly have hit them all, at the same time? There's no connection at all between them, except their current state."

Dr. Antei looked at the monitor again. The little line, signifying the heart beat, was on its duty of beating blood for its master. Beep-beep, beep-beep, beep-beep… "What is wrong with him? With all of them? The body breathes, the heart beats, but they just won't respond. It's not a coma – they're still responsive to external stimuli. It's like he's not even here anymore."

Staring down in the face of Ryou Bakura, Dr. Seimei had a flash of that kid's grandfather. The one he had spoken to a few minutes before. There was something similar about that man and these five kids. Something…

It just clicked. There's something about sleep deprivation, high amounts of stress, and danger that makes things just come together.

Dr. Seimei slowly shook his head. "That's it. It's as if 'he' _isn't_ here anymore – as if we are working with a mindless body. There's no one 'home.' "

The other two doctors, and the nurses around them, stared at Dr. Seimei.

"Remember Mr. Motou? He was just like this – unresponsive, but alive. His grandson said that his soul had been stolen. Maybe this is the same case."

"Stealing souls?" Dr. Keni scoffed. "Also remember Seimei, that we all agreed that was preposterous and not true." He paused. "However, there are similarities in their symptoms. I propose that we give these five the same therapy as we did to Mr. Motou. Agreed?"

Dr. Antei and Dr. Seimei nodded. Dr. Keni began barking out orders. "Take these to rooms 101 to 105. Basic IV and care, darkened room."

A flurry of activity and the five cases were rushed out of ER and up to the indicated rooms. Before leaving ER to tell the family members what had happened, Dr. Seimei noted that Room 105 was directly overhead ICU 5, where Yugi Motou, the "kid with Ebola," was lying…

**x x x x x**

Everyone was crowded back in Dr. Seimei's office again. Dr. Keni and Dr. Antei had to stay in ER since a new case had come in – some family had gotten into a car accident, apparently trying to leave Domino City the fastest way possible.

Dr. Seimei managed to get them back to his office with a minimum of fuss and television coverage, but now the family members were about to burst. Ms. Motou and Yugi's grandfather also come along, being friends of the family.

"Doctor, is my big brother going to be okay?" The other famous Kaiba brother clutched Dr. Seimei's leg.

"What about Joey?" Another young girl fearfully asked the man of authority. "Why was he like that? Where is he?"

"My son! My son Tristan!" A man, presumably the father to one of the cases, came right in front of Dr. Seimei. "What happened to him? Is he going to be all right?"

"What about my daughter? What happened to her?" Another two parents also asked.

"What happened to my son?" A fatigued, travel-weary man leaned against the white walls. Apparently, he had been traveling, only to see his son in this condition.

Dr. Seimei stifled the urge to rub his head. "Please, calm down. I will explain everything to you." He looked pointedly at some chairs. "Once you all sit down."

A little jumbling around, and everyone was seated and hanging onto Dr. Seimei's next words. Dr. Seimei thought it was best to say that their children were simply in a coma, instead of their souls being stolen. Soul stealing is not a good subject to bring up about your children…

"Your children are all physically fine. However, we suspect they are in a coma."

"A coma?" Mr. Taylor repeated.

"Yes. I do not know how long they will be in that state, but I do not think that they'll stay this way for very long. Two, three days."

"Just two or three days." The man in the brown clothing said again. He held onto that information. In three days, he'd be able to speak to his son. The one he hadn't spoke to, talked to, been with for five long months…

"Doctor, can we see our daughter? Please?"

"Yes, please? I want to see my son, coma or no coma."

"I wanna see my big brother!"

"I need to see Joey. I just have to."

"Please, sir."

Dr. Seimei nodded to them all. "Yes, yes, you can all see your family. They're in rooms 101 to 105, first floor."

"What about my son? I have to see him too!" Ms. Motou wailed.

"Miss Motou, we cannot allow you to put yourself at risk. This strain of Ebola may very well be airborne and can easily spread simply by breathing it in. If you somehow get infected with it, you too will die. We already have too many people at risk, simply by tending for your son. To let you in, if this strain is airborne, would be signing a death sentence."

__

Airborne Ebola would be like nuclear war.

"He's my son! I can't just leave him!"

"Can't we just look through the windows or something?" Grandpa pleaded.

Dr. Seimei shook his head. "No glass at all in ICU. Too breakable." He walked towards the door and called out, "Nurse Kusuri?"

She poke her head through the doorway. "Yes?"

"Please take these people to rooms 101 to 105. They want to see the patients."

"Yes sir." Seven people stood up to leave the office. Two stoutly remained sitting in their seats, glaring at Dr. Seimei.

"Why can't we see our son?" Ms. Motou argued. "You're letting nurses take care of him; why can't I?"

Dr. Seimei folded his hands. "Your son is infected with a lethal and highly infective virus. By hospital regulation, we cannot allow you to be put at risk. The personnel who are attending to your son know the dangers. They are trained to do it; it is their job, their calling. Already they are at more risk than I would like, because we do not have biological field suits to protect ourselves. We must make do with respirators, gowns and gloves.

__

Once a victim is housed, everyone in that area becomes a potential victim. Tasks such as feeding, tending to wounds, wiping up drool, or even emptying bedpans will put you at increased risk.

"But they are trained professionals, who know what they are doing. The only possible way I could allow you to meet with your son is if you were wearing a biological field suit. Since we do not store those, I cannot possibly allow you to—"

"Sir, in fact we do have biological field suits." Nurse Kusuri interrupted. "We just found them in our storage."

Dr. Seimei was startled. "What? How did we get them?"

"Apparently they are field biological field suits meant for the military, made by KaibaCorp when it was under Mr. Gozaboro Kaiba. After Mr. Seto Kaiba took over KaibaCorp, he did some major restructuring. Instead of focusing on the military, he turned towards the gaming industry. Military articles were given away. The biological field suits, meant for biochemical warfare, were given to us."

"I see." Everyone stared at Dr. Seimei. "How many suits do we have?"

"Seven, sir."

Complete silence. The focus of attention and judgement rested on Dr. Seimei. To be, or not to be…

"Fine. Mr. and Ms. Motou, I will allow you to see your son, given that you are properly suited up and are in there for no more than thirty minutes. I will accompany you in the room and instruct you on how to put on your suits."

Dr. Seimei rose and Ms Motou grabbed onto his hand. "Thank you Doctor Seimei! I can't say how much this means to me, but thank you, thank you, thank you!" Dr. Seimei nodded as the mother wept with happiness.

Dr. Seimei looked down at his hand, which Ms. Motou still clasped. "If we may all go…"

**x x x x x**

Ms. Motou and Grandpa stood before the door of ICU 5. They were both suited up in bright orange biological field suits. The suit was made of thick rubber and had a clear, soft helmet, but still thin enough to hear each other if they spoke. Their hands were encased in more rubber, and they all wore bright yellow rubber boots. And even then every possible opening had been taped shut with very liberal amounts of brown sticky tape. Dr. Seimei was taking no chances. Their entire bodies were covered to make sure that no airborne hot agent got through. It was complete isolation from the outside world of microbes.

If a television cameraman had managed to get past security, nurses, and frightened patients, he probably would have caught a strange sight. There was a tall man opening the door of ICU 5, in what looked like a space suit that had been painted orange. Beside him was a woman whose face was both apprehensive and terrified. A shorter, older man was also in a space suit, but because of size differences, the suit sagged and hung off his body. But his weathered face was determined to face whatever it was that lurked within ICU 5. In a strange way, it looked as if there was a high profile military operation going on, with three brave souls daring to enter the mission.

Ms. Motou and Solomon entered the hot zone of ICU 5. It was deceptively calm, and quiet. The only sounds were Yami's labored breathing and the radio softly playing some music. On the table was a forgotten tray of hospital food. Typical stuff – some mushy vegetables, a squishy sandwich, and some very disturbing tator tots shaped into a smiley face, as if trying to cheer the dying patient up. An IV was hooked up to a small human body lying silently on the hospital bed, looking as if he were laid out for a funeral. He did not notice that he had visitors.

"Yugi!" Ms. Motou cried out, and ran towards her son. He did not respond.

Dr. Seimei stood next to the door, not wanting to intrude. Grandpa slowly walked over. "Mary…be careful. He's sick."

Yami could hear something. There were people here. But he was so tired, and the pain hurt so much. He was simultaneously burning up and freezing. With each beat of his failing heart, his poor head throbbed with black agony. Reality came and went, and he wasn't sure of what was real and what were hallucinations.

"Yugi?"

Wait a second, that was his aibou's name…was his hikari calling him?…No…

"Are you okay?"

No, he wasn't…of course he wasn't…he wanted to go to sleep, where it didn't hurt…

"Let me try, Mary."

That voice was familiar too…he _knew_ that voice…at least, he thought he did…

When Grandpa saw the person laying on the hospital bed, he knew that it was not truly Yugi. Grandpa knew that his grandson had another self, a pharaoh of Egypt. He was the one who had saved him so long ago. And just how that mysterious being saved Solomon, the same being protected and guided Solomon's grandson. As his grandson grew up and learned about his other self, Grandpa could see his grandson emerge as the King of Games, as rightfully so. Even now, that mysterious other being was protecting Yugi by facing this tiny virus by himself. But the Pharaoh cannot do it alone. He must know that he had support in all ventures…

Bending down, Grandpa spoke into Yami's ear. "Pharaoh, arise. You are not alone."

Someone was calling him…it was Simon…his faithful servant…he had come back…after all these years…

Yami's eyes fluttered and slowly opened. He looked up into the face of Yugi's worried mother…and Simon.

"Shimon…you're back…"

"Yugi!"

That name recalled Yami back to the present. No, the voice hadn't been Simon. It had been Yugi's grandfather. And the woman looking down at him, with great care and concern, was Yugi's mother. Yami felt a bit uncomfortable. She wasn't his real mother; she was Yugi's. Yami never did understand maternal instinct, even back in Egypt. His real mother had died when he had been a child. This was Yugi's mother, looking down at him as if he really were her son. But he wasn't.

"Mother…" Yami tried to lift up a hand up towards hers, but was too weak. He shivered, and coughed. Blood dribbled out of his mouth. Ms. Motou reached over to pat his head, when Yami rolled over and threw up into the biohazard container conveniently placed on the side of the bed. What came out was black, bloody, and contained bits of flesh. His tongue was bright red and bloody, and little pieces of the tongue were coming off.

__

The tongue's surface turns bright red before sloughing off. This may be swallowed or spat out. It is said to be extraordinarily painful to lose the surface of one's tongue, every tastebud being ripped off in rushes of acidic vomit. The back of the throat and the lining of the windpipe may also slough off. This dead tissue can slide down the windpipe or be coughed up with mucous.

Yami rolled back onto the bed and closed his bloodshot eyes again. Simply doing that had taken more energy than he had to give. He had to concentrate simply on breathing. Every time he took a breath or made a tiny movement, he was lanced with red fire. His muscles spontaneously contracted and cramped, burning with pain. It wasn't like it was just his arm, or his leg, or his back. This was all over, like waves of pain, rolling and crashing, to wash over his body. It was as if he had a million tiny red-hot daggers were sticking into him. Even when he played shadow games, when pain was usually a part of the game, the pain was usually short and quick, like bolt of lightning. This pain was enduring and overwhelming, like a flood. The virus left nothing out, leaving no part of the body spared from torture. Yami screamed a mute cry for help, for release of the pain.

Seeing the blood trail down his cheek and onto the bed shocked Mary out of her denial. In her mind, she knew that Ebola was going to be painful. She knew that Yugi would probably going to be in a lot of pain. But she thought that Ebola was just like a really, really bad flu. Maybe a high fever, or a hacking cough, but nothing so…destructive, nothing that caused this amount of pain.

__

Ebola is not like the flu. The flu simply makes you miserable. Ebola makes you miserable also, but then you turn worse, and then oftentimes, you die.

He had to protect his aibou's relatives. They couldn't catch this; Yugi would die of depression if he knew that his mother was also infected. With his eyes still closed, Yami gasped out, "Stay…away. You…don't…want to…get this." Every word took effort and pain, and tears of blood ran down his cheeks.

It was as if a boulder had been dropped into a child's swimming pool. No mother ever wants to hear from their child, "stay away." Even less so if it was true…and this time, it was.

A mute cry of sorrow came from Mary's lips. Tears ran down her face, where they collected at the bottom of her helmet. This was her nightmare coming to life. Her only child, dying in front of her eyes. She slipped one large, gloved, rubber hand into Yami's. He could barely feel it; a small bit of comfort, even if it was meant for Yugi and not for him.

His hand was so limp and helpless, the skin white and pale, red spots growing and streaking along his face and arms, and everywhere else on his body. The person that lay in the hospital bed was not the Yugi she knew…the Yugi she knew and loved was always cheerful with a ready smile. This Yugi had a grimace on his face and vainly tried to withstand pain that she could not feel, nor ever understand.

Yami flinched at her touch, and she quickly withdrew her hand. Looking down, a red bruise of where her glove had touched his hand was imprinted in blood. The slightest touch caused Yami pain.

__

Ebola multiples in collagen with particular ferocity, attacking connective tissue. Collagen is the protein that holds the organs together. The seven Ebola proteins somehow chew up the body's structural proteins. Collagen turns to mush, and the layers of skin die and liquefy. The skin turns into something like tapioca pudding, with a sea of white blisters mixed with red spots. This is formally known as maculopapular rash. The rash grows and spreads and merges to become a huge, spontaneous bruise, and the skin goes all soft and squishy, tearing off with any kind of pressure.

She could not even touch her own son. She could not stroke his fevered forehead, could not kiss him goodnight, could not make the pain go away. Mary was helpless against the hungry predator.

Where everyone upstairs in Room 101 to 105 could lean over the hospital bed and stroke their relative's head or hold their hand, she could not. The space suit, while preventing Ebola from getting in, was also leaving Mary out. To save herself from Ebola, she must avoid contact from the very son she wanted to touch. She could not give her dying son comfort; she could not help him along; could not do all of the things that mothers do.

She turned her helmeted face away. The tray of hospital food was still here, the disturbing tator tots lying there. Now they looked like little aliens, eyes slanted and mouth wryly grinning, as if laughing at her anguish.

Grandpa simply stood there, not knowing what to do. What could he do? Dreams of seeing his grandson grow and marry, get a job, have kids, were fading away. Solomon felt old, too old for his time. Burdened with years of waiting and hoping, and now his hopes were dashed to pieces. The only thing he could do was whisper, "Don't give up, my Pharaoh. Never give in. Don't let Yugi die."

Dr. Seimei, almost forgotten in the family drama, was standing in the corner, wishing that all would be well. The teenager that lay on the bed hadn't even really lived yet; there was so much more ahead of him, so much more to do. He hated when a child was going to die, and he could do nothing to stop it. For all of his modern medical knowledge, he was powerless against this enemy. Four years in college, another four in medical school, five years of experience at this hospital, and yet he had nothing.

On the radio, a song was mournfully singing.

_Please, someone, help me, _Yami asked within his mind. The pain is too much; by Ra it _hurts_. I can't take this much longer, can only hold back the flood for so long. Aibou, please hurry; I cannot withstand the fire.

Another tear found its way onto Mary's cheek. She would if she could. She would take on her son's pain, share his agony if it were possible to do so. But she couldn't carry her son over the dangerous waters he was in. She had to stand on the shore and hold a small lantern in the darkness, hoping that he would come back to the land of the living.

Yami fell back into the world of his subconscious. There the pain could not find him, and he could rest in peace. There he could wallow in his past of ancient Egypt. Sometimes flashes of memory came by, when he ruled as pharaoh. He was strong then, ready to take on all challenges. This particular one was interesting. It was about the sickness…

Back in the real world, a little monitor beeped. Mary shook out of her misery.

"What was that?"

Dr. Seimei strode across the room and looked at the monitor. "Yugi is becoming dehydrated. A single IV is not enough. I'll need to insert another one."

Going across the room, he opened up one of the cabinets and took out the necessary equipment. He walked over towards the very sick boy and attached the second IV onto the stand. Frowning, he inserted the needle into Yugi's arm. Some blood seeped out around the needle, and oozed down Yugi's arm. Blood is not supposed to come back out when an IV is inserted. This indicates a severe blood-clotting problem. Dr. Seimei stared down at the red trail. A trail leading back to the prey, and the hunter within.

"This is not good. Ebola is attacking fiercer than I thought."

"What?"

"Yugi should not begin hemorrhaging so soon. He is beginning to bleed…"

__

Ebola moves towards a state of general hemorrhage, or uncontrollable bleeding, where you can bleed even through your skin's pores.

**x x x x x**

The bleeding has begun.

The clock is ticking, closer and closer.

Tick. Tock. Tick.

Drip. Drop. Drip.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

I _had_ a quote by Rameses II himself. Very cool, considering that Yami was Egyptian and all. Kaiba should get a kick outta that…(go to mediaminer to read)

_Extreme amplification_ – pretty much explained in chapter three. In essence, the virus is multiplying at a very, very fast rate. _Explosive chain of lethal transmission_ – when a virus spreads, it's like another link in the chain. The "explosive" part of it is because the virus spreads so fast it's like a biological meltdown, killing a lot of people. What fun. Aka burning. _Index case_ – the first link of the chain, the one who starts the explosive burning through the population. Yugi is the index case in this fic because he's first one to get Ebola. (Not that he'll intentionally kill anyone…Yugi would never do that…) _Crash and bleed_ – military slang, where the person dies of shock with profuse hemorrhages. Or more plainly, the human virus bomb explodes. Quite literally. More fun. (Djanil: You're just sick. LoneWolf: I am, aren't I? But this is my other side.)

A coma is defined as a state of deep unconsciousness in which an individual is incapable of sensing or responding to external stimuli. Since the five cases had reflexes, they're not in a coma. But they sure look like it…

Okay, just to lighten up your day before you read (or have already read) the next section. The biohazard container that Yami just threw up in is also, in the military, called an ice-cream container. I kid you not. It is also called a hatbox. I don't know about you, but comparing vomit to ice cream is a little weird, don't ya think?

(Note 1) Um, I have absolutely no clue on how hospitals operate in Japan or even hospitals in general. Everything was based on books I've read, stuff I heard (heard, mind you, TV is practically foreign to me) and Encarta Reference.

(Note 2) The song (formally on here) is called Carry Me by Scott Krippane. Don't own it. Don't sue. Not quoted

**Author's End Notes:**

(Altered) Again, THANK YOU ALL! You guys make me so happy! I have worth! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU—(Djanil: Dude. They get the point. LoneWolf: Oh.) A big, gala, I'm-so-happy-people-like-this-fic-thank-you to: **ACME-Rain, Takura, benign sadist, Jennilyn Maxwell, High Crystal Guardian**(Alright, I'll put the offerings away...),** shitsumon,** and **yami blue eyes white dragon. ** (Review replies have been moved to my website.) 

LoneWolf: O.O That was one pain-filled chapter. Almost angsty, in a way. That was fun.

Yami: *twitch, twitch* Do you just like torturing me?

LoneWolf: I just love Ebola in general. Besides, usually it's you who's the hero and all that. Yugi usually gets shoved to the sidelines, or both of you do it together. But now Yugi gets to be the hero all by himself!

Yami: (_twitch_) Just great…

Djanil: Don't mind her. If she had her way, she would infect the entire YGO cast.

Yami: O.O Crazy authoress…

LoneWolf: Aww, don't feel too bad. Things just go downhill from here.

Yeah, so Yami really hurts in this chapter. Please don't dump this fic because I'm hurting Yami a little too much. I'm just doing it a new way. -counts off fingers- Let's see, in ff(dot)net I've seen him crippled, teased, have mental anguish, disappeared, die (usually quickly), and cursed…a few battles here and there, but nothing like Ebola. ...I'm so original…

Yami: I'm gonna die…

LoneWolf: Not yet you won't. I've still got plans. Ebola isn't finished with you yet. What fun I'm going to have…

Yami: (_groans_)

LoneWolf: (_shrugs_) Just to assure you all, this fic is not going to be "Let's see how much pain I can inflict on Yami." This fic is still action/adventure. Just hang in there.

If you feel like you need a healthy dose of humor and happiness after reading this almost-angsty pain-filled depressiony chapter, I have several other fics that should lighten up your day. I'm not all dark and gloomy. I quote, from one of the reviews on my humor fic, "this is the funniest fanfic I've ever read." If, for some weird reason, you like almost-angsty fics with lots of pain and suffering, I also have another one of those.

Chapter seven will return back to Yugi and Co in Yami's soulroom. More sub-plot!

Oh, major half-give away here. From my research, there are three theories on how Ebola originated.

1. (From _The Hot Zone_) – Ebola is a new emerging virus from the rainforest. It is taking "revenge" on humans because we've been destroying the environment. Kind of like Mother Nature's reaction.  
2. (From _Emerging Viruses: AIDS and Ebola_) – Ebola is a man-created virus created by the government for biochemical warfare.  
3. (From _Ancient Medicine: Sorcery to Surgery_ and other resources) – Ebola is an ancient, natural disease.

So, with those three theories, what do you all think? I have my own theory, but I wanna know what's yours are. My theory, at least for this fic, will show up next chapter. So what do you think it is – revenge, creation, or the past coming the haunt us?

Review please, and tell me if you like the little pain scene of Yami's plus your theory. Don't worry, I won't torture him too much in the next chapter. I still have to torture Bakura and Kaiba. Mental anguish is fun. I won't do it too much; that detracts from the plot. And I need to tease Joey some more. Run around a bit, have a little direction problem again. Have Shadi "walk the talk." And learn more about Pharaoh Yami…

Yami: Pity for me would also be nice.

LoneWolf: -.-;;; So till next time, everyone! Ebola will attack another one sometime soon!


	7. Unlock the Second Memory

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf doesn't own YGO or Ebola (although I dearly wish so).   
As of 4/28/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled due to fanfiction(dot)net "surprise" posting. Quotes from the following sources HAVE BEEN REMOVED:   
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.  
Woods, Michael and Mary B. Woods. Ancient Medicine: From Sorcery to Surgery. Ancient Technology. Menneapolia, MN: Runestone Press, 2000.  
Original format with original quotes can be found on mediaminer(dot)org. Here, all quotes have eithier been removed or replaced with italized, impersonal viewpoints. Aka me. My quotes, my way.

Notes: //…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami.

* * *

_...Pain is but the beginning..._

__

Chapter Seven: Unlock the Second Memory

Back in the depths of Yami's soul room, Yugi gasped out in pain and clasped his arm.

Tea saw Yugi wince. "Yugi! Are you okay!"

Yugi opened his eye and looked underneath his hand to see just his regular black shirt. No darkened red splotch underneath, no rips, nothing. "It's okay, I'm fine. It's over now. I just felt this sharp pain in my arm."

He rolled up his sleeve to make sure. Nope — nothing. Wait a sec, there's a tiny red dot on his arm that wasn't there before…eh, he was getting paranoid. Yugi pulled down his sleeve again.

"Yeah, it was nothing." Yugi's eyes widened. "But something must have happened to Yami."

"What happened?" Joey inquired.

Yugi shook his head. "I don't know. I'll ask him." His eyes went blank for a second.

/Yami?/

A vague feeling of bonding and assent.

/Are you okay?/

Again, not exactly words, but a feeling of pain that was quickly shunted aside.

Yugi shook his head again. "I can't get in touch with him. He's kinda out of it." Yugi shrugged. "Must be all of the pain-killers or something."

"Yeah, well, we'd better start looking for those other memory-doors before he really _is_ outta it." Joey jabbed a thumb at a nearby door.

And so the search began.

The group wandered around, peeking around double hallways, corners, and other odd passageways. Some craned their necks upward to look at the doorways that were in the ceiling and others looked at doors in the brick floor. As they moved deeper and deeper into the labyrinth, the surroundings became increasingly morbid and dark, with strange etchings and more bricks strewn across their path. And yet, however deeper they strove into the pits of Yami's soul, they could not find another door that would show them the way.

"ARRRGG! Why can't we find the dang door?" Joey yelled into the darkness.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Oh, is the little kiddie tired? Maybe he should take a nap."

Joey glared. "I wasn't talking to you."

"And so who were you talking to? Your imaginary friend?"

"Stop it, Kaiba." Joey warned.

"Why should I?" Kaiba grinned. "It's quite fun to make you act like a mad dog."

"THAT'S IT!" Joey stalked over at Kaiba. The rubble beneath his feet shook.

"ENOUGH!"

Every head turned towards Shadi, who had yelled. His arms were spread out wide and the Ankh in the center of his chest was glowing. Everyone's eyes widened as they saw angry justice in Shadi's blue-green eyes.

"I have had enough of your squabbling. We cannot go on with you two arguing and bickering like little monkeys over the Nile River. This will end once and for all, and you two will learn to at least accept each other, or else you will fall together."

Shadi brought his hands together. Blue swirls of magic surrounded them all, and the roar of the crashing sea echoed in their ears. Then he uttered those famous four words.

"Let's play a game."

**x x x x x**

They were no longer in the labyrinth of Yami's soul room. Instead, they were in a half-world, swirling with light and darkness. Joey and Kaiba were stuck on a tiny little island surrounded by clear water. On the other side, about fifteen meters away, the rest of the gang stood in relative safety. Joey and Kaiba were trying hard not to fall into the depths.

"What the heck, Shadi? What are you doing?" Joey waved his arms as he tilted precariously close to the edge. One arm almost swiped Kaiba's face.

Kaiba ducked. "Watch it, Wheeler."

"Watch it yourself! I'm gonna fall!"

"Good riddance."

Shadi called out to them. "You two must forget your differences for the time being, and if you two will not cooperate, I shall have to…coerce you." Shadi folded his hands. "The game is simple. Both of you must cross together to the other side."

"That's it?" Joey asked incredulously.

"That is all."

Joey looked dubiously at the water. He could clearly the ground underneath the running water. It seemed just too easy. In his experience with games dealing with Millenium Items, things were never easy.

Kaiba snorted. "This is pathetic." He put one foot into the water. It barely came halfway up his boot. Kaiba looked back at Joey, who was still staring at the water. "Seems like I'll be leaving you behind." He then took another step.

Kaiba was now two steps from the rock island. Kaiba thought that this was just a joke. How hard could it be to walk about thirty measly steps across some dinky water? With Joey still staring at Kaiba's feet, Kaiba took another step.

It was the third step that did him in.

The ground seemed to collapse beneath his feet. Kaiba slipped and fell into abruptly deep water, rising up to meet with his chin. Kaiba sank beneath the waves that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The water became dark and murky, and Kaiba flailed around, trying to catch his footing that was no longer there.

Joey never thought about his actions. (Except when he was dueling. Then he thought a little bit more.) In a split second, Joey dove into the ice-cold water. "Hold on, Kaiba!" He grabbed one of Kaiba's arms and hauled him up towards the surface. Joey turned around to drag them both back towards the island, but now for some reason it was a mere pinprick in the distance.

They were in deep water now.

"What the—" Joey asked in disbelief.

"You will find the distance as long or as short as your trust for each other, and the water will be as deep or as shallow as your faith is." Shadi called over the increasing distance.

Yugi looked up fearfully into Shadi's eyes. "Shadi, is this a shadow game?"

Shadi smiled wryly. "No, Chosen One, this is not the dark Shadow Realm. This is simply a half-realm, neither light nor darkness. Daring peasants in Egypt often played games here; it was more entertaining than playing in our realm but slightly safer than the Shadow Realm."

Yugi muttered underneath his breath, "It's the 'slightly' that worries me…"

Kaiba shoved Joey's hands away. "I don't need your help, Wheeler. I can do just fine on my own."

Joey gladly let go. "All right then. I was just making sure you weren't going to drown or something, but if you're going to be Kaiba, then fine by me."

Unfortunately, the waters around them had other ideas. The waters rose and turned dark and threatening, becoming violent and angry. It frothed and bubbled, tugging at their clothes and making Joey and Kaiba struggle to keep afloat. Thunder rumbled in the strange sky.

"Will you join together?" Shadi called out over the distance.

Then the sea around them began to swirl and circle, slowly becoming a dangerous whirlpool. It took Kaiba and Joey, trapping them in its vortex. Around and around the two stubborn guys went, both resolutely silent. Kaiba tried to pull himself out of the spiral of water, but to no avail. Joey also tried to tug himself free, but he didn't do any better. Their limbs became heavy, numb and unresponsive to the frigid water rushing around them.

Kaiba, being Kaiba, was wearing his typical business outfit of heavy purple trench coat and leather boots. This is not conductive to swimming.

Joey, being Joey, was wearing his typical blue-white shirt, jeans, and gym shoes. This is a little bit better if one has fallen into deep water, but still not entirely a good choice of clothing for swimming in. (Not that either of them had woken up in the morning thinking of clothes to wear if one was drowning.)

This being the case, both of them were beginning to sink.

"Or will I have to leave you here, trapped within?" Shadi said again.

The waters were increasingly more violent and turbulent, and they had to struggle to simply keep their heads above the water.

"That's it." Joey stated flatly. It was strange that they could even talk through water, but such is the nature of magic. "We're never going to make it like this." He treaded water and spoke flatly at Kaiba. "Just for this one time, can't we just work together?"

Kaiba stopped in mid-paddle. "Like I said before—"

But before Kaiba could finish his sentence, a colossal wave swept past them and bowled Joey over. Off balance, Joey was knocked underneath the water and began to sink. But before Joey lost all sense of what was up and what was down beneath the murky waters, Kaiba grabbed Joey's arm and dragged him back up to the surface.

With Joey's face barely above the water and Kaiba's dangerously close to it, Kaiba spoke the words of a temporary cease-fire to Joey — enough to make that crazy Shadi-person happy, and nothing more.

"I am sick and tired of you and your immaturity. However, I am also sick and tired of this water fiasco. So just for the duration of this crazy mind-trip, I propose that you shut up and therefore I will not comment about whatever thick remark you said. Deal?"

"A truce, huh? As long as you don't call me a dog, I'll deal with that."

Kaiba grimaced. Those dog jokes were kinda amusing, but…"For the remainder of this little save-Yugi thing, I will not say that you are a worthless dog."

And strangely enough, the two guys believed each other. Oh, they were still rivals, but they also knew that the other would uphold his side of the treaty, but only that — nothing beyond the line they had drawn. It was a strange kind of respect they now had for each other — a hate-love kind of respect — a kind of bond and trust that most common duelists had between each other.

As best as they could in a body of water, they shook hands on it. As soon as they clasped hands, the waters receded and the whirlpool collapsed, plopping Kaiba and Joey down unceremoniously onto the ground; their clothes somehow dry. They were now no more than a single step away from the shore.

Joey looked down. "Man, we were this close to the shore?"

At this, Shadi nodded. "I will hold you to your agreement." The Ankh shined again, and the strange half-world they were in disappeared.

**x x x x x**

They suddenly returned into Yami's soulroom, with Kaiba and Joey both standing back to back and determinedly not looking at each other.

"What just happened?" Tristan burst out. First they were here, and then they were there, with some funky water show, and then Joey and Kaiba did something weird that they couldn't hear except for Shadi, and then they were back here again…

Shadi shrugged. "Nothing of great importance. We will not be bothered with their quarreling now. They agreed to it."

Everyone looked at the two unbelievingly. Those two, agreeing to something? That was new.

"So now we may continue with our search."

Tea sighed. "Yeah, but how? We're getting nowhere just by wandering around. If we could just have something to lead us somewhere…"

"That's it!" Yugi exclaimed.

Everyone looked at Yugi. "We do have something! Ryou's Millenium Ring! It can find Millenium Items, why not doors linked with the Millenium Items?"

Ryou looked dubiously down at his Ring. "My Ring?"

"Hey, that's right! Come on, Ryou. Give it a go." Joey urged, getting up from his feet.

"All right…"

Ryou held out his ring. The little pointers hung limply. Softly, he whispered, "Um, Ring? Can you please point to the door that we need?"

Nothing happened.

//Oh, please, vessel. You have to put some force into it.//

"Please?" The little pointers fluttered and pointed to Yugi's Puzzle and at Shadi's Anhk, but not towards a door or a path to take.

The spirit of the Ring sighed. //Let _me_ show you how it's done.//

The Ring flared, infused with a sudden burst of Shadow Magic that came from Bakura. The pointers went nuts, clinking and waving in every which direction. Taking slight control of Ryou, Bakura growled, "Show me the way." Then Bakura shoved Ryou back in control of his body.

Disoriented, Ryou shook his head. Looking down again, he found all of the pointers now aimed at a little corridor on the left. Ryou gasped. "It worked…"

"Come on!" Yugi urged. Ryou began in run in the direction where the little pointers directed. The rest of the gang followed.

With Ryou in the lead, everyone ran to keep Ryou in their sights. Ryou jogged along, staring down at the mysterious Ring that was somehow obeying him.

//Obeying you? As if. I'm controlling the magic of the Ring.//

/But why are you helping at all?/ Ryou asked. The spirit of the Ring usually never helped him at all. What was with this sudden generosity?

//Because the sooner you find this door, the sooner you'll leave me alone. So shut it.//

In actuality, Bakura really didn't know why he was helping. He kind of wanted to make Ryou shut up so he could muse about revenge, ways on how to steal the Puzzle, and what secrets the Pharaoh was hiding in here. But he also, ever so slightly, wanted to see whatever memory the door would lead to this time. It was kind of interesting, seeing those old "friends" again…those stupid priests, that sickeningly loyal servant Simon, and that Ra-be-forsaken Pharaoh. Old memories came flooding back to the ancient spirit, and he cursed the day when he lost everything. That Pharaoh would pay, and Bakura would be there to strip him of his power. But first, he had to make sure his suspicious vessel was looking the other way, so to speak, by being enveloped by the Pharaoh's memory. Then he himself could begin his own search…

Ryou was still running, being tugged by the Ring's urgent pulling. Hallway after hallway, left, right, up and down stairs the Ring led him. The rest of the gang was panting behind him.

"Hey Ryou! Slow down!" Joey yelled as he almost missed a turn made by Ryou.

"It's still pulling me this way!"

"Well, make it pull slower!" Tristan gasped.

Then the pointers suddenly died and fell back limply down. Startled, Ryou skidded, tripped over a wayward brick, lost his balance and tumbled smack on his back.

Yugi winced as he caught up to Ryou. "Ouch. That had to hurt. Are you okay?"

Joey stared around. "Where's the door? They don't look special to me." The first memory-door they had opened had the Millenium Puzzle stamped on it. But all of the doors around them were just the ordinary kind of solid iron and dull metallic sheen. Nothing overly extraordinary here.

On his back, Ryou opened his eyes. And looked up.

"Hey guys. Look up there."

Ryou sat up and pointed to the ceiling. On the ceiling was the second door. On the top of the door, a faint etching of the Millenium Puzzle could be seen. But in the center, the Millenium Ring was imprinted and painted gold. The same strange markings that were on the first door were still gouged into the second door.

"The second memory." Shadi whispered.

"That's wonderful. I'm so thrilled. Can we just open it, see the little story, and move on?" Kaiba crossed his arms.

Ryou stood up and touched the handle. Gripping it, Ryou pulled down, ducking as the door fell open to reveal the second memory. He did not realize that there were seven people around him, and not just six. A rush of cool wind swirled around them, bringing the past and present together.

**O O O O O O**

I quickly called the Council, gathering all of the nobles and lower priests to the throne chamber. As soon as I explained the urgent matter that had suddenly come upon us, the entire underworld itself broke loose. Some of nobles wanted to run; others wanted to leave it be, and a few were worrying about how much money this would cost them. Half of the priests were calling this the revenge of the gods, and the other half was already praying to the gods for help. People leaped to their feet, each of them demanding the right to be heard _immediately_. Initially, as with every Council, there was a great deal of shouting and carrying on, mostly on the part of those who usually had very little to say in the first place.

I stood up to quiet them down. "That is enough. I understand your alarm. However, what should concern us all is what we will do about this."

"The peasants will panic! They will rise up and rebel, destroying the fields and temples! Oh Pharaoh." Jarim cried out. He was a young noble, quick to say whatever was on his mind.

I looked down at him, and he lowered his head from his previous defiant position. "And what will you do about that, Jarim?" He said nothing as I sat back down on my throne.

Priest Shadi spoke up. "I propose that we send delegates to each sepat to distribute order and gain information about this new disaster. Tell them to keep everyone indoors, so that the spread of disease will halt at the source. Meanwhile, we can find a way to stop this threat before it becomes a flood."

I nodded. "Good, Shadi. And with each delegate, I will send one of the royal physicians to go with him. The sewnew will study this sickness and bring the information back to us."

"Pharaoh, I recommend that we also send magicians out to investigate this new threat." Priest Mahado said. "This sickness may be more than it appears."

"Appears, Mahado! Of course this is more than it appears! The gods are angry, Pharaoh!" A wizened old man leapt to his feet. "They have turned their face away from us because you have turned from the old ways! Taking on a foreign name of darkness and sealing the monsters from us! You are cursed, Pharaoh!"

The young man sitting next to him pulled him down. "Quiet, elder! Do not speak of Pharaoh Yami that way!"

I almost smiled at that. Old priest Loisha was always against anything new. He got in as much trouble speaking his opinion as young Jarim did with his mouth. Unfortunately, although perhaps fortunately for Loisha, age is respected in our culture. It was only his nephew Desha that kept him still in good stead with most of the Council.

I nodded towards Mahado. "Yes, the sickness must be examined from all sides. You shall lead the investigation by magicians." I turned to someone different. "What say you, Jaru, Head of Astronomers? Have the stars revealed something about our current predicament?"

Jaru stood up. "For centuries we have watched the skies for the great tides of evil or change, hoping to divine the truth. In the past decade, the Indestructibles have been warning us of a great danger to come. Seb, bringer of sorrow, is shining brightly above us, suggesting that the threat will reveal itself soon and wreck havoc. Whether or not this sickness is the one forewarned is unknown to me."

Jaru sat down quietly, and I spoke before Loisha could burst. "We cannot resolve this right now. Let us dismiss, and think this over. Let the delegates, physicians, and magicians be sent out. In one week's time we will reconvene, to review the information that the physicians and magicians have found in that time. Then we may attempt to solve this riddle the gods have put before us."

I stood up. "This Council is over."

It was up to the physicians and Mahado's group of magicians now.

Seto and I were playing a quick game of senet before the Council would be called. Seto was ahead by a pawn.

"What do you think of this disease, Yami?" A pawn moved two squares.

"We've been over this before, Seto. Another joke of the gods. Why do I have to get all the trouble?" I moved three squares.

Seto chuckled. "I don't know, Yami. We caused a lot of trouble when we were younger." He reached the House of Happiness.

I smiled as well. "Yes, we did. Remember that chariot race?"

Seto glared as he moved a different pawn four squares. "Of course I do. You got me in big trouble for that one, Yami."

"Come on, Seto. It wasn't too bad." I switched one of his pawns with one of mine.

"Easy for you to say. You were the prince. I was just the son of a priest."

"And a high ranking priest at that." One of my pawns reached the House of Three Truths.

He cursed as one of his pawns got sent back to the House of Rebirth. "But really, Yami. What are you going to do at the Council? The information the physicians have given us is practically negligible. That won't make the Council very happy."

I moved one pawn off the board. "I'll just cut them off and say go home to their doting mothers."

We both laughed at that. "Well really Seto, I'll just give them a load of flowery and long speeches that say that we don't know anything for sure, but I have control over the matter, because I am pharaoh, and that everything will be fine. Then I'll get rid of them and we can deal with the real problem without Loisha jumping up saying 'No!' "

Seto nodded his head as he moved a pawn to the House of Water. "And then we can go finish that chariot race we didn't quite conclude, due to your childish tricks."

I moved a pawn to the House of Re-Toum. "That wasn't a trick. It was simply a very basic maneuver. Besides Seto, those days are gone. I have a new name now."

"Ah yes, Pharaoh Yami, so-called King of Games. You must forget your younger past and move into a bright future."

I moved another pawn off the board. "I'm already forgetting."

Seto stared at me, and then at the board. I had cleared all of my pawns. "What? How could you—"

I stood up, grinned ironically, and beckoned towards the throne doorway. "For I am Pharaoh."

Well, after I had given my rather elaborate and florid speech to the Council, I cleared the throne room for only the high priests, the physicians, and the magicians. Now we could really work – like what exactly was the beast we were up against?

I nodded to the Karal. "Sewnew Karal, Head Supervisor of Physicians of Upper and Lower Egypt, what say you?"

Karal bowed his head. "Like we have said at the Council, we do not have much information about the Ravager. The people die so quickly that we cannot study their sickness. All that we have concluded is that it spreads by blood and the Ravager eats away at the entire body. Blood, heart, flesh – all are destroyed by the Ravager. The people cannot even be properly paid their last rites and buried, because there is nothing left."

Priestess Isis shuddered. Fresh blood, spreading the Ravager, was an abomination. I sent a quick prayer for the lost souls that would never finish their journey. The physicians' name for this sickness was a fitting one – the Ravager, the Destroyer, the Despoiler, the Eater.

Karal continued his demoralizing report. "We know nothing of its origin. It sprouted in many villages, spreading from one to another, causing panic that even I will not speak of. The buildings of health your father built became buildings of death for the Ravager. The peasants I passed by were whimpering, pitiful creatures, brought to the ground by this beast.

__

Panic spread throughout the surrounding villages. The Yambuku mission hospital had something that was making people die. When health authorities finally came, they saw men, women and children die before their eyes.

"We cannot study the Ravager, oh Pharaoh, to discover where it lurks and attacks." Karal bowed his head, unable to give more information.

"We must turn towards magic for the source of this," Karal nodded at Mahado, "Or to the gods, for we mortal doctors can do nothing against this."

Mahado stepped forth, bringing down his staff at his feet. "Pharaoh, my magicians have toiled long and hard in the work against the Ravager. We have found that it is very powerful, fighting against the bonds we put upon it and destroying any that are not wary of its lethal bite. When we tried to penetrate its secrets, the shields around it rebounded our magic."

Seto leaned forward at this. "The Ravager has a magical shield around it?"

Mahado nodded. "A magical barrier protects it. A stronger magic than what we have must attempt to pierce it. Pharaoh, we must use the Millenium Items to stop the Ravager. They are the only things we have that can study and bring this Ravager to an end."

I placed a hand upon the eye of the Millenium Puzzle. So I must call upon its powers once again. "Is there anything else that you know about the Ravager, Mahado?"

"It was created, oh Pharaoh. Created with the power of hate and anger, fed on blood, bred for war, and trained for vengeance…"

**

****O O O O O O** __

In the microorganism level, a little molecule popped into being. It was tiny and thin, somehow having the sense of fragility and strength at the same time. It wiggled, testing its new body, making sure that everything was in order. A little symbol of the Millenium Ring shined brightly on the center. Then it went out into the wide world, carrying out its mission — BB gunning. That is, taking pit shots against the invader.

It searched for a target and attached itself to a nearby parasite, hindering its movement. The little molecule pushed and squeezed itself against the assassin, doing what it did best — immobilizing the predator. The molecule sent out signals, saying, "I caught one!"

But no one came to help. The little one was alone.

That was of trivial matter to the small attacker. It bit and clawed at the assassin-to-be until slowly but surely, the evil salesman went pop!

The single defender swam away from the broken shell, and latched itself to a new target. The predator had become the prey. But there were so many predators and only a single, tiny, guard…

**O x x x x x O **

Ryou fell back down onto the brick floor. Everyone was stunned by the powerful memory that had taken them. Looking back up, the door was closed again, although Ryou had not closed it. Ryou shook his head – Ebola, created? That was odd…

Shadi lowered his head. His old past was being replayed. The tale revealed, the bits and pieces reconstructed, and the predator reborn…

"That was interesting." Kaiba commented. "I never, ever, want to see that pharaoh and his oh-so-very-friendly priest again."

Joey rubbed his head. "Sorry Kaiba, we've still got five more doors to go."

And Kaiba groaned.

Yugi yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Well guys, we have to go look for the third memory now." He turned towards Ryou. "Ready to—"

He reeled and fell back, doubled over in sudden pain. It was as if his entire body was being licked with fire from the inside out. He cried out in pain, sliding down the brick wall and then onto the floor. A single, overwhelming, wave of pain swept little Yugi, and he curled up on the cold brick floor, seized by agony.

//Iie! No please, Ra! Nonononooooo—// Yami's cry of distress was cut off.

/Yami!/

"Yuge! What happened!"

Yugi looked back up into Joey's concerned face, his big purple eyes glazed over. He managed to gasp out, "It's Yami…he can't take…the bleeding…it hurts…"

And then and there, Yugi passed out.

**x x x x x**

The Ravager is hungry.

The core of life is being withered away.

Tick. Tock. Tick.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

sepat – ancient Egyptian for district. It's an administrative unit, ruled by regional princes.   
sewnew – ancient Egyptian for physician. Transliteration swnw. I'll be using it in the general context.   
Indestructibles – a set of 36 stars that don't move in the sky. They're used for astrology.   
Seb – aka the planet Saturn. Also an Egyptian god.

Senet - A very old Egyptian game. Archeologists today still don't know how to play this very popular game. They think it's played like backgammon – get your pieces off the board, or in this case, seven pawns. Number seven, the perfect number… Anyway, there are two versions of how researchers think senet is played; I'm using the simplified Kendall's version. The point of the game is to move your set of seven pawns in a backward S-shape of thirty squares. To move, you flip four sticks with marks on one side, if you get no mark it's one square; two with no mark, move two squares, etc.; except if you get four marks, you can move five squares. If two opposing pawns meet on the same square, switch them. There are also specials squares to avoid / land on: House of Rebirth – square 15, the "move back here" square; House of Happiness – square 26, mandatory square for all pawns; House of Water, square 27, the "go back" square; House of the Three Truths – square 28, pawn can't leave unless three is thrown; and House of the Re-Toum – square 29, pawn can't leave unless two is thrown. Winner is first to remove all of their pawns.

**Author's End Notes:**

Djanil: Perhaps by _now_ she's sane enough to continue...? 

(_loud explosions and cheers_) 

Djanil: (_sighs_) Nope. Oh well... 

(Altered) A shout-out and thanks to: **Mugendai, hobbit13, DarkChao1663, SAPPHIRE, ACME-Rian, Dragonheart2, Jennilyn Maxwell, Kasumi kouri gaki, yami blue eyes white dragon**, **Silver Dragon, Iron Claws**, **takura, cat, dark angel5221,** and ** High Crystal Guardian**. (Review replies have been moved to my website.) 

LoneWolf: MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I AM SO EVIL!

Djanil: O.o Where the heck did that come from? That wasn't in the outline.

LoneWolf: I have no clue. It just came to me as I was typing this. Even though it's a mean, devious, horrible, evil idea, but I like it. -laughs- Beware Yugi, I'm out to get you now…

Yugi: O.O

LoneWolf: Oh, what plot lines are open to me now… So anyway, that's my little theory on Ebola. A combination of all three. ...I feel so smart…

I think mental anguish will come in next chapter for sure, then some Bakura musing, wrap up some things here and there. There wasn't much biology in this chapter (just that one section that isn't really), but next chapter's going to delve into that again. And of course, the next chapter will reveal the condition of Yugi and Yami. (_grins_ I hold in my hands the two characters over the fire, and it is only by my mere arbitrary will that they do not fall and fry…

Djanil: (_whaps LoneWolf soundly with keyboard_)

LoneWolf: Ow! (_rubs head_) Okay, so I'm getting a bit not-sane there…(_waves_) So see you around! Please leave me nice reviews or whoppin' flamers, I enjoy both! The Ravager will hunt again!


	8. The Third is Unleashed

LoneWolf: (_wide grin_) Everyone's worried about Yugi and Yami then, hmmm? Don't exactly like Yugi falling over in pain, hmmm? (_laughs_) Well fine then, I'll cut to the chase. So onto the chapter!

//…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami; Another thing...naturally, Ryou would call Bakura his yami. Don't confuse it with the pharaoh.

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf doesn't own YGO or lovely Ebola virus.   
Note: As of 4/29/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. Original format on mediaminer(dot)org. All quotes from the below sources HAVE BEEN REMOVED: 

Draper, Allison S. Ebola. Epidemics: Deadly Diseases Throughout History. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2002.  
Horowitz, Leonard G. Emerging Viruses: AIDS and Ebola. Rockport, MA: Tetrahedron Inc., 1996.  
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.  
Here on fanfiction(dot)net I have deleted all quotes. Some I have replaced with italized, impersonal, narratorish viewpoint on the outlook of things. NOT quotes. Me, my way. XD

* * *

_...May the ankh of life lead the way..._

__

Chapter Eight: The Third is Unleashed

Bakura wandered the dusty corridors of Yami's soul room alone. He chuckled darkly, amused that for once, he was out of his annoying vessel's vicinity and could do as he pleased. And what he was doing pleased him greatly.

Finally, he could garner the hidden secrets of the elusive pharaoh. Bakura strolled down the hallways, taking a peek at whatever door he desired. He was in no rush; all he wanted was to find a weakness, a flaw, in the pharaoh's seemingly unfailing gaming ability. Then Bakura could exploit that advantage when the time was right.

Bakura craned his neck to look at a sideways door. It was jammed into a slant of the hallway, as if wanting to hide itself from passerby. Of course, Bakura was no mere passerby.

"Let's see what's in here..."

Bakura knelt and peeked behind the iron door. Far below, he could see the pharaoh's vessel fall to the brick floor, tears running down his face. Yami was standing behind him, lowered head, his hand half-reaching out in regret. And on the other side was the reincarnation of the high priest, sneering at the pitiable fool who had lost.

Bakura spat in disgust. He already knew that the pharaoh cared for his vessel to the point of making Bakura want to retch. Why someone of such former power would want to associate himself with a lowly vessel was beyond Bakura's comprehension. Although that fact did have some merit… Bakura knew that sometimes the greatest pain of all came from the soul and not the body.

After all, that was what made him what he was today.

He shook his head. Musing about his past would get him nowhere. It was the here and now that mattered.

Bakura got up and began to saunter up and down the many stairways. In the back of his mind, Ryou and those supposed friends of his were trapped within the pharaoh's second memory about the Ravager. Because Bakura himself was no longer connected with Ryou, he was not enveloped in the memory, although that annoying bond between him and Ryou let Bakura know what was happening. Almost like one of those newfangled split-screen TVs that his vessel always wanted. Half amused, he watched as that twit of a priest said that the Ravager was created.

Fools. Could they not see what was so plainly written before them? Could they not see the enemy within their midst?

All too quickly, the memory ended, and Ryou came back to the real world. Bakura cursed and closed his eyes. It was time for him to return to the Ring.

But he would be back.

**x x x x x**

Blood ran down Yami's face and cheek from a sudden nosebleed, seeping into his open mouth as he labored for breath. The IV that Dr. Seimei had just put in a few seconds ago was trailing a thin line of red. Yami coughed, and little spatters of Ebola-tainted blood came up to stain the white hospital bed. Blood, and more blood, ran down Yami's nose and chin and clothes, marking him as a victim.

__

No matter how small or seemingly insignificant, every opening in your body bleeds blood.

Yami winced and tried to withstand the waves of suffering. His mind was becoming delirious, and he could no longer tell if he was in the present or the past. Through the throbs of pain and gritted teeth, Yami clutched onto one truth: somewhere out there, his hikari, his light, his aibou was still alive…and he must protect his light.

Dr. Seimei didn't know what to do. After all, he'd never been taught on what to do if one of your patients had contracted Ebola. Massive internal hemorrhaging was not something one encounters often in a hospital.

He shook his head. Well, he might not be able to do anything, but he must get the boy's relatives out of here before something truly dire happened. Dr. Seimei began to herd the two other people towards the door.

"I'm sorry, but our time is up. We must leave now."

Mrs. Motou twisted around to look at her son. "Wait? So soon? But—"

Dr. Seimei quietly consoled her as he pushed her towards the doorway. "Please, we must leave. The nurses will take care of him."

Staring at her son's closed eyes, Mary whispered, "Be strong, Yugi. I love you."

Yami did not have even the strength to look back.

As soon as they had taken off the bulky suits and had dumped them in the improvised room for cleaning them, Mary quickly walked down towards the hospital lobby, sobbing. Grandpa took one look, glanced back at Dr. Seimei and then trotted off to catch up to Yugi's distraught mother.

Dr. Seimei slowly trudged to his office and slumped into his seat. Now what could he do? He had seen the bleeding, and knew what it meant. The boy's body was slowly clotting up, and there was nothing he could do.

__

His blood is clotting up. Clogging up blood vessels, jamming his liver, his kidneys — his brain — with dead blood cells. It is as if he is having a stroke thoughout his entire body. First blood clots in the bloodstream, thickening the blood, slowing, until it begins to stick on the walls of blood vessels. The clots themselves drift through the bloodstream in the small capillaries, where they get stuck. This is known as pavementing, because the clots fit together in a mosaic.

Dr. Seimei groaned and covered his face in his hands. What could he possibly do? Blood thinners wouldn't help; they'd just make the boy bleed faster. And he couldn't use blood thickeners; that'd just make the clots bigger. Nothing he did would matter against this virus.

The boy was doomed either way…

_Normally, when you cut your finger, the platelets in your blood will start the clotting process. Of course the this process has to be localized to only the site of the cut, or else all of your blood would clot. Then you'd have no circulation and tissues all over your body would start to die off for lack of oxygen, which would not be a good thing. So the body has a counterregulatory mechanism which keeps the clotting process from going beyond the local actions that's needed. AKA, there is a balance between clotting and anticlotting._

What happens in some of the severe hemorrhagic diseases such as Marburg, Rift Valley fever, or Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever is that the clotting process is out of whack. Many, many tiny clots begin forming all over the body, known as disseminated intravascular coagulation. Everywhere one of these tiny clots forms, a piece of tissue downstream dies for lack of oxygen. Trying to balance out this out of balance clotting problem, the body begins sending out plasmin, molecules responsible for taking up clots. The overusage of the body's clotting proteins and actions of plasmin result in defective clotting. We end up with massive bleeding, or blood leakage.

Yami moaned. "Suffering" was inadequate to describe his pain. All that Yami could do was ride each throb; each pulsating wave of pain until the next one came in. In desperation, he tried using the old "breathing technique" that his old training master had taught him in an effort to distance himself from the pain.

Inhale. Exhale. In…and…out. In…and…out. Pain is outside. Pain is separate. In…and…out.

For a few minutes, that was all that Yami concentrated on. That single repetition. If he focused on that single thing, the pain was secondary. Blood continued to stain the hospital bed, but that was now vague. In…and…out.

"Yugi Motou, I'm going to take a blood sample."

That simple sentence shattered Yami's meditation. The pain came back in a flood, and Yami gasped out. Yami suddenly felt exhausted and weakened, thrown out of his reverie and into the cold, unforgiving world. He had lost far too much blood, and now he was feeling the drain. What was happening? Where was he? _Who_ was he? His eyes swam and rolled and then focused on a long and pointy object.

He was going to be stabbed!

Yami flinched and tried to move away, although he had barely enough energy to lift a finger. All he could do was stare as the sharp object came closer and closer at him, and Yami could do nothing. He screamed inwardly in his mind, unknowingly crossing the bond between him and his hikari.

//Iie! No please, Ra! Nonononooooo—//

/Yami!/

Then the needle plunged into Yami's arm, and he fainted from the overwhelming sense of fear and pain.

**x x x x x**

Everyone gaped at Yugi, who was slumped on the floor, motionless. Joey shook Yugi's limp body.

"Yuge! Come on, man! Wake up! It's Joey!" Yugi's head just rolled onto Joey's arm.

Ryou gazed at Yugi in shock. What had happened? One second Yugi was perfectly fine, and the next he was lying on the ground, unconscious to the world. Even Bakura was interested.

//What happened to the Pharaoh's pet?//

/I don't know...he was just standing there, and then he fell over./

//Hmm, that's interesting.// In an almost hopeful manner, Bakura said, //Maybe he's dead.//

/Yami!/

Joey set Yugi carefully down and slid Yugi's vest off, throwing it aside. He put his head close toward Yugi's sweat-soaked chest. Joey could feel Yugi's small chest slowly rising and falling, and his heart beating, ever so faintly. Still alive…

Tea grabbed Yugi's hand. "Yugi! Wake up! Please!" Frantically she tried to call her childhood friend. "Joey, what did Yugi say?"

Joey shook Yugi again. "I dunno...somethin' about Yami, and bleeding."

Slowly, Yugi coughed and his eyes fluttered open. "Hey guys..."

"Yugi!"

Yugi slowly sat up, rubbing his left arm. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make you guys worry." Yugi's eyes were still unfocused and not quite right. He groaned and held his head in his hands. "Owww...it hurts..."

"What hurts? What happened, Yugi?" Tea pressed.

"It's Yami...he fainted from the bleeding. He...I probably lost too much blood, or he's in shock. I can't even sense him anymore, other than pain, and lots of it."

Shadi spoke within the confusion. "The Ravager attacks all. The effects of trying to withhold the Ravager at bay in Yugi's body is taking a toll upon the Pharaoh."

Yugi shakily stood back up, with Joey and Tea hovering over their little friend. "So what is happening to Yami?" He put his vest back on.

"He has lost the first battle. Now the second is upon him; the struggle for his blood of life. If we do not find the remaining memories, he may not be able to recover."

"And if we fail?" Tristan said quietly.

"Then the world will fall into chaos. For without the Pharaoh, who can turn back the tides of darkness?"

Kaiba snorted at this. Gullible, weren't they?

Yugi took a few unsteady steps. Watching, Shadi thought that it was not good for the Chosen One to struggle so. "Worthy Light, perhaps it is best if you separated yourself from the Pharaoh. His pain is beginning to affect you, and you cannot carry on if his pain looms over you."

Yugi stared at Shadi. "What? Separate myself from Yami? But why?"

"You cannot concentrate, you cannot think, you can barely move without shaking. How can you find the five remaining memories if pain supercedes your every thought?"

Everyone stared at Yugi. Tea pleaded with her eyes, wanting Yugi to stop taking everyone's burdens upon himself. His heart may be great, but sometimes even the greatest fall...

Yugi glanced down at the puzzle hanging around his neck. Separate himself from Yami? That had only happened twice, neither of them pleasant or voluntary. It had been as if his heart was torn in two. Yugi had never really needed to block off his link to his other self, unlike Ryou, who did it constantly to barricade himself from pain. But to separate his link, his bond, from Yami?

Yugi shook his head. Could he live with the fact that he had taken the coward's way out? "No. I won't do that. Yami's my partner, and I'm not going to ditch him. Yami would never give up on me, and I'm not going to give up on him. Yami, conscious or unconscious, needs me, and I'm not going to let some puny virus get in my way of saving him!"

Joey's mouth curved into his famous grin, and he gave a thumbs-up. "That's our Yuge."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. Sentimental junk. "And so now that we're done with the fluff and stuff, can we move along, like I've been saying for the millionth time?"

Yugi grinned back at Kaiba, not caring. "Right. Ready Ryou?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Ryou took the Millenium Ring in his hands and spoke, this time with a bit more force than last time, "Ring, show us the way to the next door."

As before, nothing happened.

Ryou frowned. He was sure he did it the right way this time. He repeated his command. "Show us the way, Ring."

Not even a twinkle of movement.

/What did I do wrong?/

//As if I know. Move over, runt.// Bakura wrenched control like before, gave the Ring a hard shake, and growled, "Ring, show me the way." The ring feebly swung its pointers, finally pointing straight up — at the door they had just opened. Bakura shook the Ring some more, muttered a few choice curses in Egyptian, and shoved Ryou back into control.

Everyone was staring at Ryou. It had appeared as if Ryou had suddenly cursed out loud in a foreign language, which was a very uncharacteristic thing for him to do.

Joey voiced his confusion first. "Uh..."

Ryou shrugged his shoulders, trying to hide what had just happened. "Sorry guys, the Ring's not responding." He looked down at the Ring. "And I really don't know why."

Yugi looked at Ryou closely. Something had happened to Ryou, and he wasn't quite sure what, although he had a suspicion it had to do with Bakura. He dismissed it out of hand, however. They had to concentrate on finding the next memory-door — if Bakura was causing trouble, they would deal with it later.

Once again, Shadi brought understanding to the group. "The Ring is not attuned to the other memory-doors we seek. It is possible that the only door that it could find was the one connected to the Millenium Ring."

"So now what?" Joey asked.

Yugi thought about it. "Well, Ryou's Ring found the door connected to the Ring, and the Puzzle probably lead me to the first door that was connected to the puzzle. So probably all of the Millenium Items are connected to a door in this place." Yugi turned his head towards Shadi, or more specifically, his Ankh. "So Shadi, maybe your Ankh can show us the way to the door connected to its memory-door."

Shadi took the Ankh into his hands and looked down at it. "It is worth a try." He closed his eyes and concentrated on the Ankh's power. _Ankh, show us the truth._

With a faint, golden glow, the Ankh responded. With his eyes still closed, he saw two faint, golden glows far off in the distance. One Shadi knew already — it was the door he had attempted to enter the last time he had entered here. Or more specifically, the truth that resided in that door.

The other, though…that had not been there the first time.

With his eyes still closed, Shadi walked towards the second door. Everyone was a bit puzzled — how could he walk without hitting anything? — but they quietly followed the seemly blindfolded man to their destination.

Up stairs. Down stairs. They seemed to go in circles, turning left and right without any pattern whatsoever. In Shadi's eyes, the doors once again floated and flowed around him, almost covering his goal, trying to push him off the path towards truth. But he refused to let his mind wander from the truth. Up stairs. Down stairs.

__

My pharaoh...what do you hide here? Shadi thought._ What is it that you must conceal every thought, every memory, behind locked doors that only open in your aibou's presence? What hidden truth lurks behind these black doors? Is the common past we all share so painful that you must turn them away? My pharaoh, my pharaoh…so much time has passed…when will you remember? The tides are changing, and you must play a part…_

Up stairs. Down stairs. Yugi weakly followed, rubbing his temples in a poor attempt to keep a headache away. His head was slowly throbbing and his left arm pounding. It was as if a part of him was draining out, drip by drip. Up stairs. Down stairs. Joey kept urging Yugi on, to keep going, until Joey threw up his hands and carried Yugi on his back. This was of course feebly protested, but Joey wouldn't hear of it. Up stairs. Down stairs. All the while, Yugi tried to find out what was happening to his other self, to his mou hitori no boku. But the bond was fuzzy, cloudy...as if something was blocking Yugi off.

Up stairs. Down stairs. And still, Shadi kept his eyes closed, leaving the rest of the group feeling as if they really were being led by a blind man; the old saying of "if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" came to mind. Unfortunately, the ditch was something of much bigger consequence…Yami's life depended on them, cliche though it may be. Up stairs. Down stairs.

Shadi let his mind wander, trusting his Ankh to lead his footsteps. _You used to be the Morning and Evening Star, the son of Ra, King of Games…you have lost it all except the former. My pharaoh…come, and return to your glory, regain your memory. We are waiting, Pharaoh. The Prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. The darkness is rising, and we cannot stand alone…_

A flare of light flashed through Shadi's eyes, and he involuntarily opened them. And stopped. The sense of the truth that awaited him was gone.

Tristan looked around. "Uh, this isn't exactly any different..."

Joey set Yugi down onto the ground. "Awww, have a little faith, Tristan. It's just probably hidden around in some funky place like last time." Joey said as he circled the general area. A wall to their right, a pillar right down the center, and a stairs going up yet another level to their left. He peered around the pillar. Nope, no marked door there.

"What are you doing, Joey?" Tea asked in confusion.

"For the door, what else? It's gotta be 'round here somewhere..."

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, because if you'd look Joey, the door's right over there." Yugi pointed towards a dark shadow underneath the stairs. And faintly hidden underneath all that, on the bottom of the stairs, the shiny gold of the Ankh symbol was impressed into the iron door.

"What? How'd you see that?" Joey scratched his head.

"Well, you know, the first things I see are, well, low." Yugi said sheepishly. And indeed, the door was…low. The door was turned sideways, so that the actual height of the door was only about half a meter, instead of the usual two.

Tea glared at Joey and Tristan, who were trying hard not to laugh at the height-impaired teen. "Geez, be more mature, will you? Does it really matter how we find these doors, as long as we're saving Yami? We'll need to use whatever it takes to find these doors. Even if it means 'looking low.'"

Yugi muttered, "I'd give a lot to get taller though."

Unfortunately, Kaiba had heard that. He smirked. "Well, if you have about half a million yen, I can fix that problem. I am the most powerful person in Domino, of course."

Everyone slowly turned to look at Kaiba with wide eyes. Had Kaiba actually made a...joke?

Kaiba glared at the surprised faces. "What?" And then he stared at everyone with that famous scowl, and everything went back to normal. They crowded around the door, looking down at it. Like the doors before it, it had the mark of the Puzzle on the top and the item embossed in the center, this time the Ankh. And again, the strange code was chiseled beneath the Ankh.

Tristen raised an eyebrow, and turned towards Shadi. "Will you do the honors?"

Shadi smiled. "It would be my pleasure."

He bent down and pulled the door open. A faint crash of the tide hitting the shore echoed within minds, bringing the waters of the past to the shores of the present.

****

**O O O O O**

Seto jolted at the last statement. "Created? How, Mahado? How can such an abomination be created with magic without our knowing of it?"

Mahado shook his head. "Seto, the tides of magic cannot be monitored. Each wave, every spell, changes the ebb and flow of magic. Yes, scrying can look at what is happening in the pool of magic…but only at a single drop."

Seto snorted. "Pah. You mean you don't have the power to do it. Well, get some, man! You're the Head of Magicians, so do your the job! Look at where this has gotten us, Mahado! Half the Council is resentful of us, some priests are aiming to bring back the monsters again, and now we have to deal with this! Egypt will be ruined if you don't shape up!"

Isis rolled her eyes. "And where, may I ask, will Mahado get this power? As I recall, magic comes from within…unless you're using unethical means. Which I highly doubt the Pharaoh will approve of."

Seto stared at his Rod. "Gods willing, I will find a way. Anything to protect our kingdom."

Karim spoke up. "That's very nice, Seto. But in the meantime, we must find a way to stop the Ravager." He put a finger on one end of the Scale, making it dip lower. "The people's lives are piling up. The scale must be balanced."

I nodded. "Right. Karal, you and the rest of the swnw may leave now. The rest of this duty resides in the magical realm." Bowing, Karal lead his group of physicians out of the throne room. I turned towards Akunadin. His Eye should be able to help. "Akunadin, search for someone nearby that has been touched by the Ravager but not yet consumed."

Akunadin turned towards me. "What? Pharaoh, why?"

I raised an eyebrow. Akunadin seems to always question my authority these days. Yes, he was the brother of my father, which makes him my uncle and elder. I should, in all respects, bow to him in deference. But I am the Morning and Evening Star, and I cannot let someone else decide the fate of my land and my people. I must assert control. "How else are we going to study the Ravager? As Mahado said, we must use our Millenium items to examine this new threat. But first we must find someone to actually study, correct?"

Akunadin bowed his head. "So shall it be." He gazed off into nothingness and searched, using the power of the Millenium Eye. I prayed that the person found would not be someone close. After a few seconds, he spoke within the silence. "I have found one. I have already alerted one of the nearby guards to bring him to us."

If I had been allowed to do so, I would have grinned. These new magic alerting devices that Seto had invented were becoming useful. Some time ago, Seto had managed to concoct a magical device that would allow anyone with a Millenium Item to give certain commands to the person wearing them. Granted, the devices were new and could only give a minimum of commands, but the concept was novel. All of the palace guards had been given one of these devices, and the number of thefts had quickly dropped. Seto, as usual, was already planning something better.

The doors burst open, and three guards came in carrying a struggling person bound and gagged. He was tanned darkly, thin and bony, with a head of white hair, an unusual characteristic. A bloody nose left streaks of blood running down his chin and his billowy red cloak. A distinctive scar marked the right side of his face — two slashed across his high cheekbones and one scar running down his right eye. He glared at everyone with hate, eventually focusing on me. The eyes were brown and wild, flitting back and forth, but always returning to me with some unknown fire.

Seto looked down at the fighting person. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Well, Akunadin, if this is your impression of the Ravager, I really don't see what all the fuss is about. He certainly looks very healthy to me."

Akunadin glared at Seto, and then the guards. "He was not the one I requested!"

One guard stood to attention. "No sir. Don't really know of any request, sir, but we found this thief in the treasury." He roughly turned the thief-in-question over and yanked out a pocket. Gold coins tumbled out, accusing the thief with each tinkle as they hit the floor.

"Like you ordered, sir, we brought all thieves to you personally. Sir." He stood up straight and tried to ignore the curses that the thief was muttering.

Akunadin frowned at the captain. "I believe I had explicitly expressed that all thieves were to be executed right away." He waved his hand. "Go on, get out of here and take that street rat away."

Akunadin was overstepping his bounds. I had never heard of this proclamation — someone was giving orders I had not given permission to. In the matters of justice, I had always heard from each trial brought before me, no matter what rank.

"Wait one moment." I swept out my hand, stopping the three guards in their tracks. "Akunadin, who is it to say what is and what is not? He has not had a fair hearing."

"He is a thief! These coins alone prove it!" Akunadin indignantly cried.

I stood up. "Am I not the Dispenser of Justice? Justice must be given to everyone, be it commoner or noble. Let him cool his feet in the dungeons, until he has had a fair hearing. I will not hear from my people that my hand was cruel." I pointed at the thief. "Take him to the dungeons, until I have time to hear from him."

The standing guard saluted, gave a half grin, and began to haul the thief away. However, by this time, the gags had loosened and the thief was able to speak for himself.

He gave a wild laugh, showing bared fangs as he was being dragged away. "Justice! Hah! You know of no justice, Pharaoh! But one day, you will feel _my_ justice, the one you took from me! For I am the present and future darkness, ever waiting, ever watching, and I will have my revenge!"

Seto waved his Rod at the disappearing figure as I sat back down on my throne. "Ah, he will be dead and gone long before he has any sort of revenge. You have nothing to worry about, Yami."

Isis slowly put her hands to her Necklace. Everyone turned towards her, knowing that a vision of the future was about to be revealed. Her eyes became half closed and her cream-colored dress fluttered in an invisible wind. She swayed slightly, chanting,

__

Dead and gone, no, gone to be dead,  
Scarred by the mark that runs down his head,  
Destined to play and destined to die,  
Cursed be the Holder of the Eye!

Each priest stared at her in shock. Isis slowly came out of her reverie.

" 'Cursed?' " Akunadin questioned. "Me?"

Isis shook her head, from her trance and from apparent confusion. "I do not know. That is all that the Necklace had given to me. Perhaps this is far into the future, after your time. Perhaps this is the imminent future. I do not know."

The doors burst open again, this time bringing the person Akunadin had found. It was obvious that the Ravager had touched him; his eyes were streaming red blood and the former contents of his stomach were all over his robe, covering it in black pitch. The guards were using a large number of rags to prevent the blood from touching them. They dumped him on the center of the room, sweating profusely at touching Death itself. He moaned and flopped over, falling unconscious from the pain.

His face was so young. Too young to die so soon. His face was still unshaped, his chin still having the soft stubble that young adolescents insist on calling a beard and shaving three times a day. His arms and legs were still gangly and awkward, not fully grown into adulthood. He should be out in the sun, laughing in fun and play, not dying before his time.

The doors burst open for the third time, letting a single frenzied person enter the room. He took one look at the blood-covered person in the center of the room. Then the anguished cry of a father split the room as he ran over to the dying person on the floor.

It was Karal, my Head Swnw of Upper and Lower Egypt. Although now, he was simply a lost father. "No! Jkatha! My son! NO!" He got down on his knees and began to beat the floor next to his son, tears running down his face. "Curse you! Cursed, and…curse you! I told you not to go! I told you not to come with me! Jkatha, you can't die on me!"

Seto acted first. He leapt towards Karal and wrenched him back onto his feet, not caring as the runny blood touched both of them. Karal struggled, crying in agony, "Let me go! I've got to save him! He's my only son!"

Seto caught Karal's chin and forced Karal's face to meet his own. "_Think_, man! There is nothing you can do! You're a sewnew, so act like one! The Ravager's got him, and you can't help him like this. We've got to stay focused. Do you want to kill yourself too, and make us mourn both of you?"

The words penetrated Karal's madness, and the wild look drained from his eyes, replaced with grief. He sagged to the ground, burying his face in his bloodied hands, and began to weep hoarsely. "Oh _gods!_ Strike me! Take my life instead of his!" He broke down and hit his head on the stone floor. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let you come. Jkatha, Jkatha…"

Seto backed away, using the power of the Rod to clean the tainted blood off his robe and off Karal. There was nothing more that he could do. I stood up and walked towards Karal. As I knelt down beside him and his son, I prepared myself for a very sentimental speech — the only kind that would bring Karal back to reason. "Karal, do not despair. There is still a chance that he may survive."

Karal's head shot up. I nodded in affirmation. "Yes, your son may survive. But only if we work together to defeat this great evil will the Ravager be destroyed. We cannot do this alone; for we must study the enemy before we can attack. Your son is unfortunate enough to be the battlefield for this war. Through your son we will be able to decipher the enemy's strategy and use them to our advantage." I stared into Karal's eyes. "I cannot assure you that your son's life will be spared. But I, by the gods and as Pharaoh, swear that I will do all that is humanly possible to save your son."

Karal bowed his head. He took a deep breath, collecting himself as the Head Physician. His face hardened as he stared at his dying son's body. "Then go after the Ravager, Pharaoh, and be the victor! Bring back the spoils of war!"

I nodded. "I assure you, I will not lose this war."

The six High Priests gathered around Jkatha, encircling Karal. We all looked at the pain-wracked person lying on the floor, knowing that this was what the Ravager created — dying bodies and torn families. The list of names for the Ravager grew. Strangler of Hope, Slayer of Life, Slaughterer of Families.

I looked at each of my priests. This may very well be the last time we would all see each other, if the Ravager consumed one of us as we went right into enemy territory. Mahado's determined face shone through the group, a silent vow to the father below. Quiet Karim stood respectfully next to Mahado, though the clenched fist around the Scales told the truth. On my left Akunadin stood, swathed in white robes as if to signify his old age. He rubbed the skin next to his Millenium Eye; probably still worried about the prophecy Isis had foretold. Isis stood between Seto and Shadi; her blue eyes softened towards Jkatha. Shadi clutched the Ankh close towards his heart, although I knew that his heart was aching for the dying son before him as well. The Knowledge that awaited him would be unnerving, to say the least.

And of course Seto at my right, old friend and comrade. He pointed towards Jkatha with the Millenium Rod. "My Pharaoh, shall we begin?"

I put my hands onto the Millenium Puzzle. "So we shall begin." I closed my eyes and invoked the hidden power of the Puzzle. The golden glow of Millenium magic surrounded us all, taking us into the body, and the battlefield, of the Ravager.

The entire world was spinning. The six priests and I were within Jkatha's own body, in his lifeblood. We could see the workings that keep our mortals bodies alive. I stared in amazement. For although Jkatha was dying, though the muscles surrounding us twisted and writhed, sending off sparks of pain, though I could see the Ravager attacking everything around us, nothing could cloud the fact that the mortal body that we all live in was a wonder and a miracle.

Colors whirled around me in dizzying effect. Nothing was simply "red" or "white," they had shades and shadows and life in them. No artist could ever capture the beauty around us. Little sparkles of light trailed down the tunnel we were in, lighting up the farthest regions, as if inviting us to explore more, to see more, to look beyond.

And yet, someone out there hated this so much that he created the Ravager to simply destroy it all.

Seto gazed at the wonder and terror around him. A red ball zoomed passed him, and he half-reached out to touch it. "I do not recall this being described in the papyri."

"Nor will you ever. The knowledge of this will not come to light in our time." Shadi said solemnly.

Seto turned in amazement. "But why not? Surely the swnw must know of this, or the Healers. How can we heal the people if this is not written down for the ages?"

Karim shook his head. "Seto, the truth is, the people would never believe. The peasants are still distrustful of magic, and would rather stay in the path of tradition than to forge ahead and embrace change. They do not want to change the Balance."

I stepped forward. "But the Winds of Change have come upon us all. That, however, is not what concerns us. We must first deal with the Ravager, or else the Balance will truly be destroyed."

We turned our attention to study the Ravager. The enemy was tiny and thin, but numbered in the countless millions. We could see the Ravager kill parts of Jkatha's own body to create millions more selves within each passing moment. No wonder Karal could do nothing — no herb or medicine could fight this destroyer, for it overwhelmed in sheer numbers, killing the child in the act of spawning more selves from Jkatha's very substance!

__

Ebola works as a relentless machine, a molecular wolf, consuming the body as the it makes more and more copies of itself.

Seto growled and lashed out with a burst of magic from the Millenium Rod. Light shafts of purest amethyst purple lanced at the Ravager. As if that action was a call for battle, the rest of my priests raised their Items and attacked the Ravager, somehow hoping that this would end the battle. Mahado lifted his staff and shouted pure words of Power, incinerating a cluster of the enemy with each cry. Karim and Shadi both pointed their Items, piercing the enemy with each mage-blast. Even Akunadin and Isis, normally calm people, were destroying the troops of the Ravager. As for myself, I too joined the battle, hoping that with our combined powers we could stop the Ravager without needing to use the darker powers.

The enemy swallowed our energy and millions of them did perish. But the Ravager was only a little damaged, and in the next moment, the multitude surged back to life and strength. Although perhaps life was the wrong term; anti-life was better.

__

Viruses are very difficult to destroy. In fact, there is great debate on whether a virus is even "alive." Traditionally, it is not alive because it does not eat, grow, age or die. It can be killed, but given the correct conditions, a virus can also be kept alive indefinitely. However, a virus is very much alive in the sense that it reproduces and evolves. A virus exists only to multiply; to make copies of itself.

"What?" Seto cried out, aghast. "Not even our Millenium Items can defeat this evil?"

One fighter under the badge of the Ravager came towards us, flaunting its disregard of us with each movement. We could see the magical bindings that had created the monstrosity. Death, decay, and despair were riddled within its thin body. It had been formed from treachery and greed, dissention and selfishness, pride and poison. But chief and foremost, the black lines of hate, anger, and vengeance were streaked throughout the Ravager. Whoever had created this atrocity had a close bond with pure darkness, bringing together all that was abominable into one creation.

__

To those that have gone before and to those that have observed, there is no doubt: Ebola is a biological Satan.

Isis shuddered as it came closer. "Its evil…shall destroy the world…"

Seto glared at it. "Never. Not while I still breathe!" He lifted the Millenium Rod and seared the single enemy dead. However, more and more followed the path of their comrade and surrounded us. In a rage Seto attacked out. And yet, still they followed, watching, waiting.

"That is enough, Seto!" I grabbed Seto's shoulders and shook him, ducking as he whirled around with the sharp end of the Rod. "You cannot stop them like this! Brute force cannot finish this enemy!"

"But how?" Seto cried out. "How can we stop this, this, Beast?"

I watched as more of the enemy gathered around us. They simply sat, and stared, and waited, for some unknown reason. "For once, I do not know, Seto…"

****

O O O O O

__

In the level beyond the human eye, a new cell was born. Born not from the spawning from another cell, but from magic. It was small and white, and very elastic. The symbol of the Ankh was proudly impressed on its center. It immediately swam out from the giant river and into the lesser streams and brooks, where the war was reduced to man-to-man combat.

This time, however, one man had much better weaponry than the other did.

The new cell literally swallowed the enemy, engulfing it in chemicals and other elements fatal to the enemy. Then the new defender moved on, eating the enemy one mouthful at a time. For this was its mission — to consume the enemy, one by one.

But then again, there is a limit to how much one can feed. A single mouth cannot swallow a buffet, nor can this single defender devour the entire army of the Ravager. For it needs its brothers and sisters before the final battle can take place…

** O x x x x x O **

Ryou rubbed his eyes and eventually opened them. The strange carvings on the door came into view, and one thing caught Ryou's attention: the last inscription. They looked strangely familiar…

Joey wrenched himself upright, vigorously shaking his head to clear his mind. Okay. That was…he counted on his fingers…the third memory. Right. Man, this memory stuff was deep. Now he finally could distinguish between his best bud and this other self of Yugi's. Although it was kind of unnerving, to think Yugi had a former king residing in him. Joey shuddered. Things were definitely getting weird…

Kaiba fiercely rubbed his head. It was all just the past, having no connection whatsoever to him. But the person that they had just seen had struck a chord within Kaiba, ringing the truth: that this was indeed, himself. Kaiba closed his eyes. But that was a lie…

Yugi sat down hard. This was all too much for him. It was like a world within a world within a world. What was and what was not was becoming merged into one giant mess. Instinctively, Yugi reached out towards his other self, and found that his link was now open. Weak, but open.

/Yami!/

//Yu..gi? What is it?//

Yugi frowned. What could he possibly say/Are you okay?/

//I'm fine.//

/Sure you are./ Yugi closed his eyes and reached deeper. Slowly, he could sense what Yami was really feeling. Yugi clenched his teeth along with Yami as Yami felt another throb of pain. /You fainted/ Yugi accused. /What happened?/

//I do not know,// Yami answered truthfully. A few moments later, //I am sorry for worrying you, Yugi.//

/That's okay./

For a few moments, nothing was said, enjoying the fact that both of them were still alive. Dimly, Yugi could hear the radio playing. It faintly sounded like something he had heard before…

Yugi delved deeper in the bond, merging his mind with Yami's even closer. Normally, Yami would do this, to know what Yugi was hearing and seeing. But this time, their roles were reversed. Yugi cocked his head, listening to an invisible song.

Listening, Yugi smiled. This was one of the few English songs that both Yugi and Yami knew. The words might be in English, but the heart of the words spoke universally. They had been through a lot — school bullies, Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, and this. Sometimes there was heartbreak, but they always came back together. They would get through this one together too. Softly, quietly, he sang the chorus to Yami, hoping to bring Yami's spirits up.

Yami opened his eyes in surprise. How had Yugi heard what Yami was listening to? Somehow, Yugi was able to tap into a deeper level of their bond; something Yugi had never done before. The words spoke to Yami, giving him an inner strength. Yugi had often listened to this song on his CD player, saying that it remind him about their bond. And each time, Yugi would promise to always be there for Yami. Smiling, Yami sang back to Yugi.

Yugi was startled. He had thought Yami was too tired to do anything, from all of the blood loss, pain, and whatnot. Much less to actually _sing_ back to him, in English, no less. In fact, Yami rarely ever sang at all. Besides, Yugi didn't think he did _that_ much. Tentatively, Yugi replied/Really?/

//Really, Yugi. You have always been there for me. I only exist because of you. Thank you.//

The song enveloped them, easing Yami's pain and soothing Yugi's fears. Yes, they would be friends for a lifetime. Even deeper than friends; two soul-friends. Bonded forever. They could face anything if they were together.

/I won't leave you alone, Yami. I promise./

//And I will never forsake you. I am here to guide and protect you, and I will not abandon my duty.//

Yami whispered the chorus one last time, promising Yugi. A pair of invisible arms encircled Yugi, hugging him, silently vowing to always be there, like a brother. Yami's deeper, lower voice embraced Yugi, giving of comfort for eternity.

//No matter what. Against wind, rain, or even a lifetime.// 

/A lifetime, Yami?/

Yami chuckled. //More than a lifetime, little one. Forever.//

**x x x x x**

The Ravager still gorges, filling its unending appetite.

To feed not only upon flesh and blood, but the soul.

It does not care about love, friendship, or vows.

It rips them apart.

Tick. Tock. Tick.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

Ah, the big biology paragraph. What a doozy, eh? Okay, what this thing is saying is that Ebola seriously messes with the clotting mechanism of the body. Normally, your blood would clot holes going outside your body; like a cut or scrape. What Ebola does is makes your blood create clots inside your body, thinking there's a "hole" inside your bloodstream. And your body does this so much that all of the platelets, i.e. clotting factors get used up. The body tries to make some more (plasmin) but that doesn't help because then the body continues to clot up. So when an Ebola victim bleeds, he or she is literally unable to stop bleeding because there are no clotting factors left. Much fun, eh?

papyri — plural of papyrus, this time referring to the medical scrolls Egyptians kept.

(Note 1) Well, before you lawyers out there jump on me, the song is called "I Will Be Your Friend" by Michael W. Smith. I don't own it. (On fanfiction(dot)net, this song-quotation-excerpt has been removed; please go to mediaminer(dot)org. Please.)

(Note 2) Okay, this is just me getting stuff off my back. I know that I'm doing a horrible job at physically describing the priests and the surroundings. My only excuse is that Yami in first person is not going to be describing physical characteristics about people and things he's known for years. Either that or I'm just really bad at doing first person. I will get to it, but in later chapters. Sorry guys.

**Author's Endnotes:**

(Altered)A big hug to everyone who reviewed! (_Glomps reviewers_) Thank you all! Brownie points to: **ACME-Rain, Jennilyn Maxwell, Mugendai, hobbit13, LadyDeathStrike1, dark angel5221**, **Silver Dragon, Iron Claws**, **Sorceress Vanessa, shitsumon, takuya, High Crystal Guardian, yami blue eyes white dragon, DarkChao1663,** and ** mariel1337**. (Review replies have been moved to my website.) 

Toboe LoneWolf: Pain? What pain? 

Yami: -.- 

Toboe LoneWolf: Now does everybody have a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling inside of them? Yes? This time, Yugi hasn't fallen over in pain and Yami is vaguely happy now and everything is all soft and downy. ACK! CUTENESS! (_chokes_) Can't take it…(_gags_) (_deep breath_) (_straightens up_) See, I'm not a bloodthirsty authoress out for Yami's blood… At least, not all the time. Hope you guys liked the little song/bonding time at the end; a counter to the abrupt ending last time, and to assure you all that I'm not going to kill Yami off on a whim. (Reference to the former song integrated into story, as song has been removed, go to mediaminer(dot)org for full cuteness effect. XD)

On a side note: to anyone who might have thought Ryou's Ring would take them all the way, I give a hearty "HA!" _Nothing_ is going to be _that_ easy. Never, ever, assume things are going to occur the way they appear. Shadi's Ankh works on one door only, and that's it. The gang's on their own now…

But I might as well give you guys a peek on the next chapter…which is more blood and guts! (Quite literally.) I finally get to use some of my favorite quotes! Bakura deals with some old memories, Ryou gets a lecture, the gang gets a workout, Yami finds a way to actually fight the Ravager (kind of), and Yugi's mom goes into shock.

Yugi: What?

LoneWolf: Don't worry, it's nothing life threatening.

Yugi: I don't trust your level of description.

Toboe LoneWolf: And that's it! Review please, this chapter's like 20 pages long and I would like some feedback! Like for one, was the song-stuff okay, or was it too cliche? (_shrugs_) Ah well, see you guys around! The Ravager shall feed another time!


	9. Release the Blood of the Fourth

//…// is a yami to a hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami. Bakura is the yami, Ryou the hikari. Oh, and just to warn you, this is the longest chapter I've ever written…27 pages…

Warning: Major Ebola symptoms in this chapter. If you thought the previous chapters were bad…heh heh heh…that was just the beginning. PG-13 for blood and gore. Queasy people beware. Have milk and cookies nearby. XD

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf doesn't own YGO. ...LoneWolf does own the concept of the Ravager. Fear.   
Note: As of 4/29/05 this fanfic was seriously overhauled. Original format can be found on mediaminer. Quotes from the below sources HAVE BEEN REMOVED:   
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.  
Quotes formally on fanfiction(dot)net have been replaced with italized, impersonal viewpoints on the outlook. My quotes, my way.

* * *

_...The pure, beautiful essence of blood..._

__

Chapter Nine: Release the Blood of the Fourth

Dr. Seimei was taking one of many, many coffee breaks since the day had began. He cupped his hands around the cheap Styrofoam cups and sighed as the heat seeped into his bones, relaxing the pent-up tension. He sipped the hot coffee, giving the impression that all was well.

"Hey, Seimei!" Dr. Antei waved as he walked into the lounge. "You signing out soon?" He turned towards the tiny counter and poured himself a nice, big cup of caffeinated coffee. Always caffeinated.

Dr. Seimei sighed and placed his cup back down. "No, you young lucky person. I probably won't be leaving until this entire fiasco is over." He glanced over at the ever-watchful TV reporter lurking at the hospital doorway.

Dr. Antei grinned. "Eh, all we can do is cross our fingers, huh, Seimei?" He brushed a strand of floppy blonde hair out of his face. He was fairly new to the field of medicine and his manner showed it: his bright white, freshly pressed jacket, his cocky smile, his openness and innocence, his very clear-cut lines of Good and Evil.

"Pretty much." Dr. Seimei answered. If only things were that easy. He also had to somehow administer life support without exposing the nurses, somehow use the limited hospital equipment they had to keep things sterile, somehow study the virus while the teenager was alive and well, somehow decon the room when – no, if – the teenager died.

Dr. Antei flipped his cup into the trash. "Well, he'll come through tomorrow. Boys like him don't give up." He laughed. "After all, they call him the King of Games, don't they?" Antei waved, heading towards his office to close up. "See you tomorrow, Seimei!"

Dr. Seimei gave a half-nod. Young hubris, all of it. Antei had barely come into this job, and as thus, still had that naive knowledge that he could do anything; that everything would be all right. He didn't know the horrors of medicine yet, didn't know that he could not hold all the answers, didn't know how many families would be torn apart by his words, just didn't know the harsh brutality of the Grim Reaper. Dr. Semei knew, and had found his heart hardening against the very people he was supposed to love…

Dr. Seimei would have allowed a single tear fall down his cheek, expect that Nurse Kusuri appeared by his shoulder. She too was a veteran of the gauntlet of this hospital; gray hairs at the age of thirty signified it well enough.

"Sir, I gave the patient a dosage of fentanyl and took another sample of his blood. Is there anything else you want me to do regarding the patient in ICU 5?"

Good, at least the boy would not have to endure the pain the entire time. A mercy stroke, perhaps. Dr. Seimei cocked his head, thinking. "Send the blood sample and any others to intern Tsuikyu. I want him to study those and tell me anything new that comes up. And I want you to take hourly samples. Not always blood via needle per se, but sweat, vomit, secretions of blood – whatever you can get your hands on. You know what I mean."

"Right. Sir, do you want me to administer another dose of fentanyl if it wears off?"

Dr. Seimei shook his head. "No. By that time, it will be too late to do any good." He tightened his hands around his cup.

Nurse Kusuri's eyes hardened in understanding, and nodded in agreement. "Then I shall be going now." She rubbed the back of her neck, attempting to get the nick out of it. "It appears that I shall be staying here longer than I expected…"

Dr. Seimei sighed. "We all are…"

**x x x x x**

Bakura put his hands in his pockets and strolled along the many hallways as if he owned them. Which he would, once he found the pharaoh's weakness and won the Millenium Puzzle. He laughed. All his…

He found himself back at the doorway of the Ring. Funny that he would end up back here. Bakura walked up to it, gazing that the old encryptions upon the iron door. It had been a long, long time since he had seen this code. Bakura craned up and brushed the dust off, reading the words written long ago.

Ah, those were the days. Old memories, and old friends, tugged at Bakura's memories. Well, perhaps not friend – the King of Thieves did not leave targets for people to hit at – but comrade, accomplice, at least. Each side completing his side of the bargain, and nothing beyond the contract. But if one of them encountered the other on the street and wanted to share a cup of beer, it would be an almost friendly discussion.

The Ring around his neck flared slightly, signifying that Ryou had come back to consciousness after his romp through the pharaoh's memories. Bakura growled, both to the annoyance of the pharaoh and to his short-lived freedom from his vessel, and then curled back into Ryou's Ring. Bakura would have to find that weakness later…

**x x x x x**

Yugi slowly opened his eyes, letting go of the mental hug Yami was giving him. /Yami, I have to go now./

Yami smiled. //Very well, aibou. Go and find the cure I cannot within my own mind.//

Yugi chuckled. /Go to sleep./

//Yes, of course.// Yami closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of no pain. Whatever that nurse did to him, Yami welcomed the blessing of the relief from pain. For that, he was at least able to talk to his hikari for perhaps the last coherent time…

Yugi shook his head, gathering his thoughts. He looked up to see everyone getting their heads back together. Well, almost everyone, save one.

Ryou was tracing the last mark inscribed in the door. One slash going down and two slashes cutting across it. It seemed so familiar…

//You seem to have a very bad short-term memory.// Bakura broke in Ryou's thoughts.

/What?/

Bakura gave Ryou a mental whack on the head. //That is my mark, you dimwit!//

Ryou's eyes widened in shock. /Your…mark?/ Images of Bakura tearing up his room and gouging the wall with his knife came to mind. The gashes had seemed to mean something…

//Yes, my mark!// Bakura grabbed control of Ryou's body. He traced his right hand his cheekbone where his scar used to be. //Do you forget so easily, vessel? Must I teach it to you another time?//

Ryou shuddered. Lessons from Bakura were…not pleasant.

Bakura grinned. //Remember your lessons, vessel. I teach them to you for a reason…//

"Um, Ryou? You okay?"

Bakura vanished back into his own soulroom, leaving Ryou standing there tracing invisible lines along his face. Ryou stiffened, and his hand dropped down to his side. "I'm fine."

"You were doin' somthin' funky on your face." Joey bluntly pointed out.

Ryou's hand automatically reached up and clasped his face while the rest of him froze in fear. "Um…"

//You're pathetic.// Bakura wrenched control and slammed Ryou into his soulroom. //Stay in there until I clean your mess up.//

Yugi took a step back as Bakura took over Ryou. The change was fairly obvious to Yugi – wild, spiking hair, feral grin, and an even leaner, thinner look than Ryou.

"My vessel finally realized the last carving on the door. It's the mark that people used to fear back in the old days." Bakura grinned, relishing in the fear his mark used to create. He slowly traced his scar along his face. Down through his right eye, and then cutting across his cheek. A mark of vengeance… "Scarred from childhood, I made sure that everyone would remember my scar and my pain. Then they would remember my destined revenge…"

Yugi held out his hands in peace. "Revenge? For what?"

Bakura growled. "_You_ ask me what I seek vengeance for? Ask that pathetic pharaoh you hold so dear why. He should know." He hissed. "Yes, he should remember. And if he does not, I shall _make_ him remember."

"What? Yami?" Yugi's eyes were full of confusion. "What did Yami ever do to you?"

Bakura spat in disgust. "Is that what he calls himself? 'Darkness?' Hah! It actually fits him; he had more dealings with darkness that you'll ever know." He glared at Yugi, palpable hate glowing from his eyes. "Learn to fear that mark, pathetic one. It is one you will see again." And with that, he relinquished control back to Ryou.

Ryou gave a shaky smile. "Sorry, guys. He- he didn't do anything, right?"

Joey shook his head. "Naw. Just said some funky stuff."

Yugi turned around and looked at the strange carvings on the iron door. "So Ryou, this was Bakura's own mark?" He pointed to the symbol of the three slashes.

Ryou nodded in confirmation. "That's right," he softly said.

"But does he know what the other ones mean?" Yugi swept his hands over the rest of the carvings. "How does he know about these?"

Bakura grunted out a reply. //It's all in thieves cant.//

/Thieves…cant?/

Bakura sighed in frustration. //Fool. We thieves had code to threaten people, to tell where booty was held, who had the good stuff, and where the bully-gangs were. As the King of Thieves, I made most of these.//

/Oh./

Ryou shyly offered an explanation. "Bakura says that it's thieves code."

Yugi's eyebrows went up. He knew a little about the Spirit of the Ring, like that he used to be the King of Thieves. Apparently the thieves had some form of writing. "But what do these mean?"

Bakura practically screamed in Ryou's mental ear. //What, does he think I answer to _his_ beck and call? I'll tell you, I like having my privacy and don't like giving out favors. You and your cronies can puzzle out that code till the Nile runs dry for all I care. _Maybe_ if you're repentant I _might_ tell you what they mean, but in the meantime I'll stay out of your blasted mortal business.//

Ryou winced. "Um, Bakura kind of likes his privacy. And he won't tell me what they mean."

Tristan shrugged. "Oh well. Great guy like him can't be expected to hand out too many favors."

Tea tentatively spoke up. "Um, can we move on?"

Joey sighed and looked down the hallway to where it branched out. "Whoop-de-do. Which way do we go? Left or right?"

Yugi turned towards Shadi. "Wait, aren't you also the Holder of the Scales?"

Shadi shook his head. "That I am not. I no longer carry the Scales; it is in its rightful place now." Shadi stared down at Yugi. "But do you not guard and hold the Necklace and the Rod today?"

Yugi awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, yeah. Kind of. I guard them of course, but I don't have them on me all the time." Yugi made a weak laugh as the faces around him fell in disappointment. "Sorry to get your hopes up. They're not exactly easy things to carry around, anyway."

Ryou slid his hands down his pockets. Maybe he had something…nope. Just a hole from where Bakura left the switchblade. Sometimes Bakura carried the Millenium Eye that he "won" from Pegasus around, just to look at it and gloat.

//Hah. I don't carry valuables on me. That's a signal for pick pockets.//

/But weren't you a pick pocket?/

//Among other things. Besides, how can I concentrate on stealing other things if my mind is on protecting my own possessions? It's best to leave it in a cache, so that if someone does manage to get his dirty hands on it – which he should not – I have a legitimate reason to paint the floor with his blood.//

Ryou shook his head. Now the Spirit of the Ring was using the "law" on his side. Would wonders never cease? Ryou looked around. Apparently no one else had Millenium Items either. "So do we just wander about like before?"

There were some dejected nods of confirmation. Joey stood up and marched down the hallway confidently. "Here we go!"

Kaiba sighed, and the rest of the group followed the never down Joey Wheeler.

**x x x x x**

Yugi was walking behind, thinking about the memory they had just unlocked. It was hard, because the memory had become a part of him, and Yugi had to distance himself in order to understand it.

So Ebola had been in the past…as the Ravager. And somehow Yami had faced it and won, because he had survived to remember it. Yugi slowly pieced things together. The prophecy Isis had made churned in his mind, teasing at the border of his mind. There was something in there that had to tell him of what was to come…

Suddenly Yugi gasped. That face! He remembered it! The face of the thief in the last memory was Bakura! Yugi closed his eyes and pictured the memory again. Yes, there it was! That tell-tale white mane of hair, the white scar on his face! It was true!

Mind in a whirl, Yugi flashed to the others. How had he not recognized them? They had been there! Isis was Ishizu, the priest Seto really was Kaiba, and Shadi–

"Is something the matter, Chosen One?"

Yugi jumped, turning around to see Shadi's calm eyes. "You! You– were there! In the memories!" Yugi exclaimed. "But– how?"

Shadi smiled, his eyes slightly amused. "There are many things that you do not know, nor will you know, until the time has come." He held himself aloft, distant.

"But– why are you even alive? Why are you here?" Yugi cried out. The memories told him that the names were the same, while the other two had gone through slight changes. Reincarnation, perhaps – but how could Shadi have the same name, even the same skin tone? He didn't even age, Yugi thought wildly. The paintings of Shadi in Pegasus' castle done ten years ago were an exact replica of the man standing before him!

"Patience, young one." Shadi held out a hand, palm out. "I am merely the servant of the Pharaoh. Much can be done with the will if one wants it enough."

"But – how – even Kaiba–"

"What about me?" The harsh voice of Kaiba's cut through Yugi's whirlwind. He had decided to hang back, away from the brash Joey and his annoying ways. Besides, it had been relatively quiet, until Yugi had a shock in his head.

Yugi turned his eyes towards Kaiba. "Kaiba! You should know! You're in the memories!"

"What?" Kaiba's eyes clouded darkly. "I already told you, I don't believe in these Egyptian fairy tales."

"Come, Seto Kaiba. Surely you cannot disprove what your very heart saw?" Shadi looked amused at Kaiba's discomfort.

Kaiba didn't want to hear about it. Those memories were disturbing, tugging at his mind and whispering that it was true. They felt familiar, somehow. He was the High Priest, right-hand man to the Pharaoh. But how could that be? Kaiba had no magic, and quite frankly, he wanted it to stay that way. Everything turned upside-down when it dealt with magic. Just look where he was now! Trapped within a vast maze of a spirit he didn't even (whole-heartedly) believe in! Kaiba didn't want his life messed up; he liked it just the way it was, the way _he_, and no other, made it.

Kaiba hardened his jaw. "I won't believe it."

Yugi stared in total disbelief in Kaiba's blatant denial. How much would it take for Kaiba to even bend even a little?

Shadi smiled, with the kind of air of The One Who Knows. "Deny it all you want, Kaiba, but you cannot change the past."

Kaiba growled and stalked off.

**x x x x x**

Tristan half-heartedly tagged along while Joey and Tea peeked around various nooks and crannies and Ryou studied the brick floor. Predictably, they had gotten pretty much nowhere. Tristan sighed, kicking a stray half-brick. What was he doing here? He felt so out of place.

"Hey Tea, look at this!" Joey yelled, leaning over a stair.

Tea trotted over and peered down. "Whoa. That's steep." She shook her head. "But there's no door."

Joey moaned. "Man, we're never going to find anything! There's too much to look at!"

"Too bad we don't have any more Millenium Items to show us the way." Tea regretfully said.

Tristan wandered down a small side hallway. Maybe there would be something here…nope. Tristan sighed. Nothing new. It's not like he ever did anything monumentally important anyway. Tristan backed out, walking a bit faster to catch up to the other two.

If only he had a Millenium Item. Tristan quickly suppressed _that_ thought. He definitely did _not_ want all the problems that Yugi had to deal with protecting his Puzzle! Tristan was perfectly fine being the Average Joe. Just blend in with the background, and root for the team. That was the idea.

But well, Tristan admitted, it'd be nice to do something once in a while. Not just stand in the sidelines, back his buddies up, and occasionally step in once in a while to substitute, but do something no one else could do. It'd be nice to duel as well as Joey or Yugi, or be as good a dancer as Tea. And of course it'd be nice to pull in the big money that Kaiba earned each day as CEO of KaibaCorp.

He randomly walked along, half-consciously staying within hearing distance of Joey and Tea's voices. Tristan wasn't even really paying attention to where he was going, which was the reason why he stubbed his foot on the very hard brick stairway.

"Ow!" Tristan exclaimed, rubbing his toe on the floor. "That hurt!" He grumbled at himself for making such a stupid mistake. What would Serenity think of that?

He looked down at the offending stair step. Stupid thing, just appearing like that. What did it think it was doing anyway? Making him go in circles. Growling, he looked up to where the stairs headed.

And up, and up, and up.

Man, those were a lot of stairs. Tristan couldn't even see the end, but he did see the ceiling. Waaaayyy up there. What the heck was up there anyway? Must be something pretty important, if it were stuck in some super remote place. Hey, maybe there would be the door that they needed!

Tristan turned around to call for the others. He turned around to see nothing.

Utter blackness.

"What the…?"

Tristan walked up to the, well, blackness. It was just that – black. There was a distinct line between what Tristan could see and what he could not. It was as if the hallway had been swallowed up into nothingness. Tristan stretched out his hand into it, and it felt cold and dark, like the night air. Except this had no light. It didn't hurt his hand or anything, it just felt very weird. Tristan took a deep breath and stuck his head into the darkness and opened his eyes, leaving one hand firmly against the brick wall. He saw absolutely nothing. Waving his other hand in front of his face registered nothing. Shuddering, he pulled back. Now what was he going to do? Tristan was stuck here, in between nothingness and a very tall place.

He took a deep breath. "JOEY! TEA! YOU GUYS! ANYONE HEAR ME?"

**x x x x x**

Yugi, Kaiba, and Shadi eventually caught up to Ryou, Joey and Tea, and they were just beginning to wonder where Tristan was when they heard Tristan's call.

"ANYONE OUT THERE?" Tristan's voice echoed and vibrated.

"That's Tristan!" Joey yelled. "TRISTAN! WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?"

Tea winced and covered her ears. She now knew for certainty that Joey had very, very healthy lungs.

Tristan yelled back a reply. "DUNNO! WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION!"

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "That's not good." He placed a finger on his cheek. "So, do we find him or he finds us?"

Joey fixed that. Kind of. "TRISTAN, YOU COMING OR WHAT?"

"CAN'T! I'M STUCK!"

"What the…? Stuck?" Joey shook his head, shaking his hair out of the way. "Dang. That means we have to look for him." He took a deep breath and everyone stiffened a little. "HOLD ON! WE'RE COMING!"

And with that, Joey ran off, following his ear. Everyone groaned and attempted to keep up. It wasn't an easy task; Joey kept stopping to yell something and then burst off in a different direction. But eventually Joey did stop, because he discovered the same barrier that Tristan did. Everyone slid to a stop, gaping at the strange phenomenon before them.

"What in the world is this?" Tea said. She poked a finger in it and quickly pulled it back at the wintry feeling that was in it.

"HEY, YOU GUYS! YOU THERE?" Tristan yelled through the darkness.

Everyone jumped. They were very close, if the volume had to say anything about it. The only thing in the way was the strange darkness in between them.

"Tristan, what happened?" Joey called. He didn't think he needed to shout.

Tristan almost shook with relief. They found him. Now all they had to do was get to him. "I have no clue. I was just wandering along, and I found this huge set of stairs. It's gigantic! I think the door we need is up there. I turned around to call for you guys, but this stuff blocked my way."

Tea frowned. "You mean it wasn't there before?"

"Nope."

Yugi cocked his head. This stuff didn't make any sense. How could it even exist? Darkness was just the absence of light, but that meant there was light in the first place. But the darkness just seemed to "stay" in one place, and didn't move beyond a certain point. How could that even happened? And where was the light coming from anyway, and why did it just…stop?

"Guys, this makes no sense. Why is this black stuff even here?" Yugi waved at the thing. If it could be called that – "thing" implies the object can be touched, which this stuff was not.

Joey shrugged. "Dunno."

Ryou got Yugi's point. "But how can it even exist? For that matter, how can we even see it? To see things, our eyes have to take in the light that is bounced off the objects. But where is the light coming from in the first place, so that we can see this stuff?"

"Soulrooms can be seen without the need for physical light. Because of the presence of its owner or their consent, certain parts of the soulroom emit an internal light."

That was Shadi, local expert on soulrooms, past and present.

"Okay, so we know how we can see it." Joey kicked at the floor. "But how do we get through it?"

Shadi gave a rare smile. "It is simple." He held his hands around his Ankh. "We use our Items to light the way to get to your friend."

Yugi's eyes lit up. "Oh! That's easy!" He closed his eyes, concentrating on the power of his Puzzle. He'd done it once before, and it wasn't too hard. He just had to reach right there…got it! Yugi grinned as the Puzzle began to glow with a steady, golden light. He looked around to see Ryou's Ring carefully emitting a greenish tinted light and Shadi's Ankh shining with a bluish hue.

Ryou, being the closest to the darkness (how ironic), timidly moved towards it. Squeezing his eyes shut, knowing that it was only the feeling of Yugi and the stranger behind him also moving, he stepped forward into the darkness. Ryou squeaked as he felt the cold, whispery feel of nothingness touch his bare skin. After noticing the absence of pain and no immediate death or chaos, he peeked one eye open, and then the other.

Yugi gasped in surprise. Only his Puzzle was shining any light. The other two Items might as well as been blocks of wood for all of the light they were giving off. In the faint illumination within the darkness, Yugi could see Shadi's apparent confusion. Yugi didn't have time to ask any questions, because Joey and Tea soon followed behind them. Yugi carefully took one step at a time in the darkness, making sure he wasn't going to hit anything.

Joey looked down at Ryou. "Hey, why isn't your Ring and that guy's Ankh lit up?" He jabbed a finger at Ryou's Ring around his neck.

Ryou held the Ring up. "I don't have a clue. It just doesn't light up this darkness."

They didn't have much time to wonder what happened, because they emerged from the darkness a few moments later, revealing a very much-relieved Tristan.

"Hey man!" Joey leapt over and began to pound his buddy's back. "Thought you almost got eaten up by the boogie man!"

Yugi was looking down at his Puzzle in confusion. The light from the Puzzle was dimming out, but that didn't explain why his worked and not the others.

Shadi saw Yugi's bewilderment. "Perhaps the reason why the other Items were unable to penetrate the darkness is because this is your other self's soulroom."

"Huh?"

"It is possible that this was another mental defense against intruders. The darkness could only be tamed by its creator or one bonded to him."

Yugi shook his head. "But why was Tristan able to walk through the first time and not the second?"

"Ah…" Shadi had no answer for that.

Joey looked up at the very long set of stairs. "Oh, boy."

Tristan saw Joey's amazement. "My thoughts exactly."

Tea moaned. "And we have to go up all those stairs?" Her legs were going to kill…

Ryou shrugged. "Oh well, at least we'll be going somewhere. Why would there be such a barrier if there wasn't something up there?"

Kaiba wanted to groan. Why didn't this place have elevators? This was going to be like the annual fire drill at KaibaCorp. It always made him regret his choice of having his office at the highest floor…

Yugi took a deep breath. "So here we go…" He took the first few steps and for once, looked down at everyone else. Yugi giggled. "Come on!"

And so they began their very long ascent up the stairs. It became unnerving to go so high, and Tea blanched when she looked down. She didn't do it again. Everyone wished that there were handrails, because one misstep and well, it would be very unpleasant trip down. Ryou was wishing he could crawl his way up the stairs, except he knew that if he did, Bakura would yell from here to tomorrow.

//Dang right you are. At least you admit it though, coward.//

As long as he stayed alive to get to the top, Ryou didn't care what the Spirit said. His legs burned from exertion and he was sweating from both fear and from fatigue. Yugi wasn't much better; he was beginning to believe Yami's insistence for more exercise. This had to be enough exercise for a week…

Joey, being the adventurous person he was, took two steps at a time, until he got tired. Then he hopped from one stair to the next. Tristan was climbing the stairs in stride, being an amateur rock climber. Tea was not having too much fun, since stairs seem to have an affinity for her. Kaiba was grumbling the entire way, saying stuff about out-of-date spirits and attempts to create stress. Shadi simply strolled up the stairs, although a bead of sweat trailed down his cheek.

Well, eventually they made it to the top. Everyone collapsed in exhaustion, except for Shadi and Kaiba. They caught their breath and wearily looked around.

And saw exactly the same setting as it was on the bottom – a labyrinth of a maze, poles that went nowhere, double crossed hallways, and stairs everywhere.

Joey stood up. "So, where's the door?" He looked around, as if expecting the door to just pop up in front of him

Yugi wearily said from the floor, "Joey, haven't you figured it out that it's never that easy?"

"Naw, you just gotta look!" Joey scanned the nearby area. "Hey, there it is!" He trotted over to a nearby staircase, where the door of the Eye was there for all to see. "Told you it'd be around here somewhere!"

Everyone looked at Joey in surprise and then followed Joey. They stopped at the door. It had the same format as the others – sturdy iron, the golden Millenium Eye shaped on the front, and those funny markings beneath it, which they now knew to be thieves cant; of which one of them was Bakura's symbol.

Yugi tugged at the door. He raised an eyebrow. "It's locked."

"What?" Joey exclaimed.

Yugi pulled a bit harder, putting a foot against the door. "It's not budging." He should have known it wasn't going to be easy…

"Lemme try." Yugi stepped over and Joey yanked on the handle. No go. "It's stuck."

"Now what?" Ryou said in the silence.

Tristan stared at the door closely. His eyes blurred and refocused, and they itched all of a sudden. Rubbing them fiercely, he saw something else on the door between glances. After getting rid of the irritation, he peered a bit closer. He couldn't quite make it out; it was covered in dust and stuff. He walked over and began to brush it away. Beneath his hand emerged more markings – except these held meaning for the group.

"Hey! There's writin' on the door!" Joey exclaimed. "Where'd that come from?"

Everyone crowded around, marveling over Tristan's find. It was just single line, not much, really. It was a very strange discovery however, since the words were in Japanese…for most.

"This is so weird…why would Yami have Japanese characters on a door in his soulroom?" Tea wondered as she looked at the writing on the door.

Shadi smiled inwardly. Yes, Japanese…for those that knew only that language. For him, he saw ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, and below it, the modern language he used today: Arabic. Shadi glanced over at Kaiba, who was having a barely covered mental breakdown.

Kaiba was shaking visibly and rubbing his eyes. What was wrong with his head? He was seeing things that shouldn't be there! Where everyone else was seeing only one line of text, he saw two! The second line was understandable; it was in Japanese, like what everyone else saw. But the other was in a language that he'd never seen before – that same Egyptian script inscribed on the card of Winged Dragon of Ra. And he knew what it meant, just like the card! But that couldn't be possible, and besides, how could _he_ see it when the others did not? Those Egyptian myths must be messing with his head…

Bakura was having a small heart attack within his own soulroom. Through Ryou's eyes, he could see what the group was peering at. They all saw Japanese, but he saw something else – something that simply wasn't possible! There were two lines of text upon that door, not one, which was what the others and even his own vessel saw. Bakura saw ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs on one line and the other saying the same thing – _but in thieves cant!_ How could the pharaoh have known the secret code that thieves carved in the most unlikely of places?

Tristan, oblivious to the shock to certain people around him, read the single, tiny line on the door.

__

"Those Who Ask, Receive."

Yugi cocked his head. "What in the world could that mean?"

Tea nodded absently. "It kind of makes sense though…when you usually ask for stuff, you get it most of the time. But ask what?"

Joey laughed. "Please and thank you's, perhaps?"

Yugi tapped a finger on his cheek. "Hey, maybe it's like that story, you know, the one with Ali Baba and the forty thieves?" Yugi grinned. "Just say 'Open Sesame!' "

Joey marched up to the door and pointed a finger. "Hey door! Open Sesame!"

The door, as expected, did not magically open. Ryou shook his head. He highly doubted the forty thieves even used such a simple phrase; it was most likely as twisted and convoluted as Bakura's enter phrases at home, so why should this door be any different?

//Those thieves were pathetic. Practically every thief in Thebes laughed at them for a month after that Ali Baba stripped them dry. They were so predictable.//

Tristan frowned. Something was just at the edge of his mind… "Wait a sec, I think Joey had a point there."

"What, 'Open Sesame?' Didn't work." Joey jabbed a finger at the door. "Still stuck."

Tristan shook his head. "No, I meant the 'please and thank you' stuff. I think we have to ask the door to open up."

Everyone looked at Tristan incredulously. Ask…a door? An inanimate object with no mind?

Yugi shrugged. "Oh well. It's the only idea we've got. Try it, Tristan."

Tristan nervously cleared his throat. Here goes…"Um, door of the um, Eye? Please open for us?"

And with a creak and a groan, the old iron door complied. Everyone's mouth dropped open in surprise as they felt an ice-cold chill creep down their backs and were whisked away into the memory of the Pharaoh.

****

**O O O O**

The Ravager surrounded us, creating a force of unseeing eyes upon us. In such close proximity, I could feel Isis shiver as more and more of them circled around us.

Seto turned his head around. "What are we going to do?"

"Do?" I faintly smiled. "We are going to get out of here."

Seto's eyes widened slightly as I called on the powers of the Millenium Puzzle. The raw magic that resided within the Puzzle flared and rushed through me, threatening to overwhelm those that could not handle its power. But I was its holder, and I commanded its magic. I frowned as I shaped the magic to my will. This was going to take a lot of concentration, not to mention a tough stomach.

I heard Seto whisper, "Oh no." He knew what was coming up, and did not like it.

I smiled. "Oh, yes." And with that, I let the magic loose.

The magic yanked us out of the circle of the Ravager, literally pulling us up and away. We flowed past over them and followed the pathways of the bloodstream, becoming like water as we were swept away, as if we were the floodwaters of the Nile.

Although this was a very good evasive maneuver, it also made those with weak stomachs churn and feel very nauseous. Thankfully, the nightly "exploits" in the city Seto and I went on periodically let us withstand the turbulence. The, shall I say, "practice of mingling with the commoners" gave us high tolerance to gut wrenching, sweat-pounding moments, not to mention the terrible beer served in the lower parts of town. Although those that were more accustomed to eating the finery of the palace were having some…difficulties.

Shadi and Karim, who were used to the fineries of high-class life with fine foods, fresh spring water, and stable conditions, were looking a bit nauseous. Isis wasn't faring as well either, although she attempted to hide it, ladylike. Mahado was as stiff as the staff he clasped in his hands, eyes widened in shock. And poor elderly Akunadin was positively green, shutting his eyes tight and clutching his hands together. Most likely praying to Ra for safety…

"Yami, you had better say this is going to end soon." Seto threatened, raising the Rod.

I put my hands around the Puzzle. "Will do."

For a brief moment, the Puzzle glowed. The fluids around us rushed faster, guiding us to the destination I desired.

"Oh, Ra…"

Well, we reached the destination I desired without any permanent physical damage. We fell down in a lump, piled on top of each other. Unfortunately, since I was previously at the forefront, I ended up on the bottom of the stack.

On top of me, I could hear Mahado groaning. "If I never travel that way again, it will be too soon."

Seto, whose Rod was digging into my shoulder blade, moaned along with him. "I think, given the choice, I shall walk next time."

I grunted, pushing up with my arms. "I was not aware that there was even a different choice available. Now would you please get off of me?"

Everyone practically jumped off after noticing they were sitting on the son of Ra. After an overdose of apologies, I finally managed to turn their attention to the more important manner.

I crossed my arms, discreetly rubbing them to relieve some of the bruises. "Well, what do you six propose we do?"

Silence. Just deep breaths and mental calculations that their body was intact.

"What, nothing at all? This is certainly new."

Mahado wrenched himself upright, using his staff for support. "Pharaoh, why hasn't the body mounted its own defense against the Ravager?"

"Because perhaps it can't, Mahado!" Seto retorted. "Didn't you see its ferocity? The Ravager destroys faster than _it_ is destroyed!"

Isis narrowed her eyes. "Then perhaps we should find out _why_, Seto."

Shadi placed a finger on his chin. "To do that, we must go to the center for the body's defense."

I nodded. "Which is precisely where we are."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they gazed around. They saw swarms of the white soldiers that were the body's defenders swimming around us. We stood within a thick, yellowish-clear liquid, which contained clumps of grayish fibers here and there. The place was like a command center, with a knot of white orbs centered in one spot, and other, smaller orbs leaving and returning, like common soldiers and fleet-footed messengers carrying out their duty.

"By Ra…" Mahado whispered. "Look at them. They're _organized_…"

"Very nice." Seto crossed his arms. "But they're not doing a very good job, are they?"

I raised an eyebrow. Very supportive, Seto was. "Well then, shall we approach and see their strategy? Perhaps then we can find out what is wrong."

The rest of the priests nodded, and we walked up to the generals of the body's defenses. However, like a true army, there were bodyguards to get past through. Two smaller white orbs closed in on us. They seemed to wiggle, demanding some sort of answer.

"Ah…we come in peace?" Karim offered, holding out his Scale.

More insistent wiggling. They began to loom over us, threatening some sort of consequence for whatever they demanded.

"Great. Does anyone speak blob body language?" Seto remarked.

I sighed. "We'll have to use our Millenium Items." Placing hand on my Puzzle, I attempted to convey in simplistic terms that we wanted to pass.

Show your identification badge, the left one ordered. Or else we'll consume you.

I sighed. Apparently the lower level bodyguards consisted of brawns instead of brains. I stood a bit taller, letting the symbol of the Millenium Puzzle flash before them.

I am Pharaoh Yami, son of Ra, Wielder of Shadows, Guardian of Light, and I say that you shall let us pass!

The two orbs cringed, if such a thing were possible. Behind them, one of the larger orbs seemed to sense their discomfort. It moved out of the circle, and brushed against one of the shrinking white orbs. What seems to be the trouble, it asked.

One orb fled behind their "rescuer." We didn't do anything, it cried. It's going to eat us!

The larger orb looked down at us, and saw my Puzzle glowing. It jerked back, in shock. The Great Leader, it exclaimed. Why have you come here?

Seto raised an eyebrow. By now the rest of the priests had invoked their Items as well and understood what the larger orb had just said. "It appears that even blobs know of your fame, O Great Pharaoh."

I rolled my eyes and turned back towards to one of the "generals." He (if it were possible to give it a gender) seemed to be weary. His body was tinged with gray, and he took slow, careful "steps." Slowly, he curved his body into something resembling a bow.

You come at a dire time, he said. We are in the midist of a war. But we must obey the commands of the Great Leader. What do you ask of us?

Behind me, Mahado muttered into my ear. "Pharaoh, present your requests quickly. My magics outside the boy are telling me he will not last very long."

I nodded. I kneeled down and touched its quivering body. Do not fear, I told him. My priests and I have come to wage war against your foe. Can you tell me how you defend against the Ravager?

He rose, nodding what he used as a head. We cannot do a great deal, only to slow. I am the high Commander of the army. Come, and I shall introduce you to my generals.

He led us to the small group within. There were seven in all, including the commander. Some were large, ominous types of leaders, while others were smaller and had the air of cunning. All were restless and edgy, flicking back and forth as if searching for the incoming enemy.

The commander nodded towards each one, turning towards us to explain their position. This is the leader of the Small Eaters, those that protect the smaller streams. Here is the leader of the Big Eaters, those that guard the larger rivers. This is our Armsmaster, trainer of our weaponry and the little ones that guide it. To his left is our representative of the Little Ones, who seek and destroy any invader. On my right is the strongest and wiliest of our Killers, who obliterate the enemy. And this is our chief Elder, our guide, who calms the hotheads among us.

A small red cell brushed against the Commander. Another message for you, Commander.

The Commander slouched. Report.

The cell gathered itself together. All defenses down. All main stations falling. Communications down. Power down. Transportation down, jammed, and broken. Waste facilities down. Require assistance immediately.

The Chief Elder swam forward. He, as was implied, older than the rest, spotted with age. He wiggled a flange, admonishing the young Commander, saying, And that is why we must retreat! Retreat and fall back, to regain our strength!

Strength from where? The two that led the Eaters said. Our troops are weary and morale is down to its last dregs. We cannot fight on nor retreat back, to leave their families and homes behind. You keep calling for strength, but from where?

The Armsmaster spoke up. Yes, we need strength, and time. We have no time to train the Little Ones, and less time to study the Ravager and devise a weapon against it. We have nothing. Right now we are simply throwing things out and hoping they work by chance.

The Little One replied grimly. And that is hardly good tactics. Never throw out anything to the enemy, or else he will use it against you. My comrades are failing in their attempt to hold the Ravager. We cannot even destroy it like we used to…our arms are obsolete to this Ravager.

The Killer, the large, dangerous-looking one, put in the last words of doom. Even the forces under my control are losing ground against the Ravager at every turn. We now lack even the numbers to defeat the Ravager. The enemy seems to take great joy in torturing my troops; killing each one with relish and overpowering rage.

__

Ebola seems to target the immune system for special attack. Unlike HIV's slow destruction, Ebola's attack is explosive. As Ebola ravages though you, your immune system fails, and you seem to lose your ability to respond to otjer viral attack. It is as if your body is under siege, gates ripped open and hostile armies marching in, taking over the city and setting everything on fire. Once Ebola enters your bloodstream, the war is already lost; you are almost certainly doomed. Ebola cannot be beaten off like the common cold. What takes ten years by AIDS takes only ten day by Ebola.

The Commander turned toward me, wearing a face of mourning even though it had no head. And that is our predicament, Great Leader. The Ravager wages total war, attacking everything in its path, leaving nothing in its wake. We have the will, but no ability to use it, as our strength is burned away in the brutal onslaught. We have soldiers that are rapidly decreasing, and no strength nor will to carry on. The enemy is fast approaching, and we have no defenses left. What are we going to do?

I shook my head. I do not know yet, I told them. But with the information you have given me, I shall stop the Ravager before it destroys anymore.

I turned around from them, leaving the last remaining generals of a losing army to discuss what to do in the last moments.

"Okay, you've got information. They're as weak as puppies. So what are we going to do?" Seto waved his Rod at the surroundings. "Go out and finish the job for them?"

Isis shook her head. "No, that would not work. We cannot use our Millenium Items alone against the Ravager. The Items do not have enough power to wage war against the entire foe."

Shadi cocked his head. "They have the capabilities of winning this war. They only lack the strength, and time enough to act upon it."

"The latter we cannot fight against. Time goes at its own pace, and not even the Millenium Items can bend it. We will have to act quickly. But strength…" My eyes widened. "That is it! They have the manpower, but lack strength. Our Items hold the strength needed, but lack reach. Combine the two, and the Ravager will be defeated!"

Seto snapped his fingers. "By Ra, you've got it, Pharaoh! We've found a way to crush the Ravager!"

Karim raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but first we must actually _do_ it, Seto. And how are we going to do that? The exchanging of power is a delicate one."

I shook my head. "To give this kind of power of the Millenium Items to a physical, living being, all we need physical contact and a strong will. And I can attest that we all have the second requirement, or else how could you be my priests?"

"And as for physical contact, all we have to do is to know the general location and my Ankh will find them." Shadi said, cupping his hands around the Millenium Ankh.

Suddenly, the world around us heaved and jerked. Orbs swam in distress, shying away from the walls and quivering in fear. The fluid that surrounded us created eddies and whirlpools, to gush out of minute holes that appeared out of nowhere. Then the Ravager burst through the walls, punching through to feed upon the last remaining few in greed. They hunted anything that moved, slaying all in their path. They no longer took the time to actually infect the cells, but rather killing in sheer numbers and terror. Everything fell into chaos.

Seto whirled around in confusion. "What is it? What is happening?"

The commander jolted away. No! It is over! The end times have come upon us!

Mahado closed his eyes and clutched his staff. "Pharaoh, the time comes soon. We must leave, or perish with them!"

I nodded, and reached for the power of Puzzle once again. We had to leave the battlefield, retreating from a lost war. Silent screams of terror and pain echoed within our minds. The golden glow surrounded us and took us away, fleeing the cries of the doomed.

We returned to the real world, back into stiffened bodies and a harsh reality. Within our circle, Jkatha convulsed and choked, gasping for breath. Karal was staring in shock, seeing his son being torn apart by an invisible enemy. His mouth opened in a mute scream.

__

Suddenly the human virus bomb explodes. There are two ways to say this. The polite version is that "the victim has gone down." The not-so-polite version is that the victim has "crashed and bled out."

Pools of blood gushed out of Jkatha's body, to stain our cloaks and sandals. The blood flowed out, as if hungrily searching for another victim. The reek of fresh blood spilled filled the air. Isis shuddered and called on the power of the Necklace, containing the Ravager within the bounds of its dying host. Karim closed his eyes and cleansed the outside area with the Scale, burning away the taint of the Ravager with magical fire. Karal scooted away, watching his son scream within the white dome Isis had erected over the dying boy.

Jkatha staggered and collapsed, his spine limp. He spasms and brings up an incredible quantity of blood from his stomach, spilling it onto the floor with a gasping groan. His body was becoming a mass of mush. I wanted to turn my eyes away from this horror, but I could not turn away from the face of the enemy, nor leave the boy to die unseen. Jkatha's eyes rolled backwards into his head, gasping as he saw things that should not be seen by mortals.

It was not a vision of heaven.

Blood streamed from every hole in his body – his nose, his eyes, his ears, his mouth – anything that let the waters of his body flow out. Spews of blood arched and splattered on the dome, on his twitching body, on the stone floor. The life that it once contained seeped in and stained it, marking the Ravager's victim. The Ravager sang a blood-song of death, hate and suffering, exhilarating in the dying boy's death throes.

With a cursed blessing Jkatha lost consciousness. The only sound is a choking in his throat as he continues to vomit putrid fluid. Even as we turned away in horror we could still hear the anguish of death. A ripping sound, and the smell of yet even more blood. It reminded me of the battlefield, the sounds of bowels opening and the spewing of blood from every possible opening.

The Ravager pushed against the barriers of the dome of magic around the body, seeking to reach, and touch, and Eat. It thirsted for more, reaching out for another one to burn into bloody ashes, to attack another body in hate, anger and vengeance that I did not know of.

__

Blood pools out of him, seeping and spreading. Once it has destroyed its host, the hot agent is "trying" to find a new host. Hungering for more.

Within moments, Jkatha's body became limp and still, dead within that unforgiving dome. His spirit fled his lifeless body, to wander about the earth, for his body was no longer a part of this earth. The body that remained was a sunken mass, covered in the innards of his once young body. There would be no chance of Jkatha of returning back to his body, for it was beyond preservation. How can embalmers preserve a mess of red and black fluid and little mushy bits?

__

After death, the cadaver suddenly deteriorates. The internal organs have already been dead or partially dead for days, and now they finally begin to dissolve, a kind of shock-related meltdown. Any leftover connective tissue that remains after being heated by fever, damaged by shock, or destroyed by Ebola begins to liquefy. The fluids that leak from the dead body are saturated with Ebola virus.

In the end, there had been no chance of survival. The Ravager made sure of that.

When the blood slowed down to a trickle, Isis clenched her jaw tight. Then the magic of the Millenium Necklace flared within the dome that contained the Ravager. It scoured the stone blocks clean of the Ravager's bloody mark, burning away the watery blood that pooled around the dead son. Tears ran down Isis's cheeks as she also burned the body away. There would be a long, treacherous time ahead of Jkatha in the afterlife – if he had one. Eventually all that was left was blackened ashes. Only then did Isis lift up her protective veil of magic.

Karal cried out, running to where his son's body once lay. "Jkatha! Noooooooooo!" He fell down to the stone floor, knocking his head against its unfeeling stone. "You're gone. You're gone forever…and not even the gods can save you…"

Everyone else respectfully took a few steps back, giving some space for the once-father to mourn. I walked up to the grief-stricken man. "Karal, the past is behind us."

Mad, tear-stained eyes locked onto mine. "You promised! You'd said he would live!"

I looked down at him. In a grave voice I said, "That I did not. I vowed that I would find the cure that was locked within. And although we have found a way to defend against the Ravager, who has slew hundreds of my people, I regret to say I was unable to save your son."

****

O O O O

__

Deep within the human body, an old, grizzled cell emerged into being. It was pinched and white, caution drilled deep within its body. The symbol of the Eye was imprinted on its body. This was an Elder, whose role in this war was vigilance and counsel, to cool those young-headed fools of glory.

War is not a magnificent adventure. It is blood and guts, gore and death. There is nothing glorious about war. War is of soldiers screaming for mercy, for their homes far away, of fear of dying for no true cause. Of fires and pain, lost souls and lost dreams.

The Elder knew, and warned those of what was to come.

For the war is approaching.

**O x x x x x O**

Everyone fell back; scrambling to get away from the door that had shown them death.

Joey jerked away, gagging. "ACK! That's just gross!" His hands shook. "That kid, just _dying_ – like that…"

Ryou curled on the floor, covering his ears and shutting his eyes closed. He didn't want to see more blood or hear more screams of pain. But he couldn't close his mind…

Bakura was laughing maniacally, thrilling in approval. //Now _that's_ what I call a bloodbath. By Ra, he did it _right_…//

/You're just sick…/

Bakura crowed, feral grin even more pronounced. //You'd better believe it. May the gods grant that I may spill blood that like one.//

Kaiba took two steps away and leaned against the solid brick walls. That was just sick. He shouldn't see things like that; businessmen of his stature didn't deal with the touchy, primitive issue of death. Kaiba concentrated on cold, hard cash – _business_ – not hot blood spilled…

Shadi turned his head away, hiding the single tear that ran down his cheek. His left hand clutched his Ankh. Shadi took deep breaths, calming down his fear. _It is over,_ he told himself. _That is the past, and unchangeable. I cannot change it, but I can change the future…_

Tristan and Tea were slumped on the ground, backs to the closed cold iron door. It had been so real, the smell of blood lingering within their minds. They used to be just some common teenagers, doing common teenager things. Then Yugi solved the Puzzle, and everything changed. They had gone through falling buildings, fires, and exploding islands, and now memories of a long-dead pharaoh. The price of friendship was indeed, deeper than blood…

Yugi clutched his head. How could he deal with this? It was too much – he shouldn't _see_ things like that. Images of little red raindrops falling onto the stone floor flashed through his mind, and he couldn't keep them out. A little horror filmstrip played within his mind, seeing the boy die again and again, until what Yugi saw was Yami arching in pain and dying in pools of blood…

Instinctively, Yugi reached out to Yami through their bond. A slew of feelings washed over Yugi and he cried out in surprise. Yugi was pulled deeper into the bond, called by a terrible need from his other self. Suddenly Yugi was released, and he gasped in surprise to see Yami's deteriorating condition before him. Yes, Yami was still alive, but…the Ravager had returned.

Yami tossed and turned, trying to cool himself off in his rising fever. The small time of relief given to him by the pain relievers was eroding, and the pain had come back to haunt him.

Pain is a simple concept. On the most basic level, it is simply molecules hitting pain cells, which then send signals to the brain, which then registers the feeling of "pain" and acts accordingly. Pain is nothing more than a sense of warning, telling the body that something is wrong. Unfortunately, too much pain is not really beneficial, as then the person can do nothing to stop it. Pain relievers block the transmission of the signals, or block the brain from registering "pain." However, whatever _causes_ pain still attacks and hurts the person; the person is simply no longer aware. It continues to pound away, to batter itself against the barrier. Consider pain relievers to be a barrier of a large fluffy blanket protecting a little baby from the scary outside world. However, if the pain is simply overwhelming, the "blanket" is quickly torn and ripped into shreds, and the pain is released once more…

The Ravager is certainly overwhelming.

Yami was powerless against the relentless onslaught of the Ravager. The pain plowed through him, and he had nothing to fight against it. His temperature was rising steadily. It wasn't as bad as before, but he knew it would eventually escalate into unbearable… //Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop!//

Yugi's eyes widened. Yami didn't know he was here? He clenched his fist. Yami was _not_ alone; he still had Yugi, and all of his friends. They weren't going to desert Yami now, not ever.

Yugi shouted through their bond. /Yami!/

Yami's eyes shot open. //Aibou?// Was this a vision of his imagination, brought by the pain again, or was this for real? Oh Ra, let this be true…

Yugi smiled. /Yeah, I'm here. And I'm not going to leave you. You're not going to face this on your own./

Yami felt a tear fall out of his right eye. Still there… //Thank you. Through my pain, I had almost forgotten.// Yami closed his eyes. //I kept dreaming I had lost you…thank you for coming back.//

Yugi cocked his head. /Don't forget it, Yami. We're _all_ here, and we're _all_ going to get out of this./

//I know.// Yami answered. //Just…aibou?//

/Hmm?/

//Don't ever let your light burn out. Or else I won't be able to find my way back.//

Yugi smiled. /I won't, mou hitori no boku. Just make sure yours won't either./

//As long as I can see your light, that will be enough, hikari.// Yami closed his eyes, falling back asleep, the pain pushed away because of his hikari's presence…

**x x x x x**

Yugi's mother sobbed into a drenched, useless tissue, rocking on the squishy sofa. He was going to die! Her son was going to die! And there was _nothing_ she could do!

Grandpa found Yugi's mother crying in the corner of a practically empty lounge. He cautiously walked up to her. Emotional women always made him uneasy…

"Mary, Yugi'll pull through. He's not going to give up so easily."

Mary scrubbed away her tears with the sodden tissue. "I- I know, but do you think he…can?"

Grandpa plopped down on the sofa. "I know he can. Besides," Grandpa winked, "He's the King of Games, right? Now wipe those tears away and think about something else."

"Like what?"

"Well for starters, dinner. I'm hungry!" Grandpa joked, rubbing his belly.

Mary smiled, pushing Grandpa lightly. "Silly old fool."

Grandpa beamed. "That's me!"

Mary sighed. "But I really don't feel like cooking anything, since Yugi–" Mary choked.

Shoot. Grandpa scanned the area for some other quick distraction. Anything to keep her mind off Yugi before she had a mental breakdown. His eyes caught a TV remote. Ah, television. That should work fairly well. Grandpa grabbed the remote and settled into the sofa. "Hey, how about we watch some TV to pass the time?"

Hearing no objection, Grandpa pointed the remote and turned on the TV hanging in the corner of the lounge. After surfing a few channels, they ended up watching commercials and commenting on how weird or funny they were, and also making mental notes to check certain things out a bit later…

They laughed at the latest one, a car commercial with a young guy in love with his car. He was trailing the thing with a rose and chasing the advertised car across the city, and then some.

"That's Joey, all right." Grandpa laughed. He then pointed the remote to change the channels again to watch something else, as the main show was appearing again.

Mary's eyes widened. "No! Wait!" She clutched onto Grandpa's arm, grabbing it so hard he winced. "Don't change it!"

Grandpa flipped back. "Fine, but…why?"

On the television screen, an anchorwoman was talking about the latest topic. A picture of a tangled curved thing was shown in the upper right-hand corner. Beneath it, the caption read, "Deadly Ebola Virus Found In Japan."

"One of the deadliest known human viruses has turned up for the first time in Japan in the city of Domino. Two days ago, a resident living there by the name of Yugi Motou was bitten by a runaway monkey and consequentially contracted the lethal virus."

Mary cried out, her face twisting in fear and pain for her son. Grandpa's focus was totally upon the TV screen, absorbing the news.

"The Ebola virus, which originated in Africa, has a mortality rate of fifty to ninety percent. Health officials and researchers at the Domino Hospital have identified this virus to be a new strain of Ebola, currently called Ebola Domino.

"Ebola causes hemorrhagic fever and is a severe, often-fatal disease in humans that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976. The exact origin, locations, and natural habitat of the Ebola virus remain unknown. Symptoms are abrupt and are characterized by fever, red eyes, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. The signature sign of Ebola is massive external and internal bleeding. This is usually followed by multi-organ failure, shock and then death."

Grandpa stiffened. So _that_ was what was going to happen to his grandson. He shuddered. It certainly didn't sound very pleasant, and he had suspicions the anchorwoman was softening it already…

Mary was rigid, eyes locked upon the television screen. She was taking quick, sharp breaths, imaging the horrors that awaited her son. Each symptom that the anchorwoman described multiplied within her mind, escalating her fear. With a cry she fell back, fainting from the stress. Grandpa grabbed her arm and heaved her back upright. When she did not respond, he yelled for the nurse.

Ms. Motou was placed in a stretcher and pushed to the Emergency Room. As they ran towards ER, Grandpa couldn't help but notice that everyone was watching the news. Nearly every television screen was on and showing pictures of the Ebola virus, or of Ebola victims, or of Yugi Motou, his only grandson…

"Residents of Domino should watch out for the runaway monkey. This is a dangerous animal carrying a dangerous virus. The government is moving to catch the monkey and track its location. If anyone sees a small, brown monkey such as the one pictured above, please call the police immediately."

A small picture of a monkey appeared on the screen. It looked as if it had been procured from the local zoo; a fuzzy cutesy thing that looked like it was simply an adorable stuffed animal and not a dangerous beast carrying a lethal weapon.

"There is no need for mass evacuation nor mass panic. Watchers must be aware that although the virus is lethal, the government is taking action to keep things under control. People are advised to stay indoors. All roads and airline flights from or into Domino have been canceled."

__

Once an infectious disease gets aboard an airplane, it could be anywhere in the world in just twenty-four hours.

"The virus is not airborne, and an experimental vaccine for Ebola is being tested in the United States. I repeat, there is cause for alarm but not for panic…"

**x x x x x**

Halfway around the world and then some, another small television screen was displaying the news story. A single man within that cold, dark room watched the television screen, a slow grin creeping across his face. He clutched his fist. It was stained with fresh blood.

"That's right, my little pets. Kill him, and wreck my revenge…"

**x x x x x**

Hark, the Shadow of Doom approaches.

The darkness has begun.

There will be no dawn.

Tick. Tock. Tick

* * *

**Footnotes:**

Fentanyl – it works like the body's body's own natural endorphins to dampen the sensation of pain. It is commonly used during anesthesia. Anesthesia makes you fall asleep; the fentanyl is to make sure the pain doesn't wake you up. Fentanyl is under the category of opiates, which include morphine, codeine, and opium. Funfun…

About the light thing in soulrooms. You need light to see things, right? No light, everything's dark. The light bounces off stuff and returns to your eyes, which then sends signals to your brain, which then perceives color and shape and stuff. So question: how, how, _how_ can anyone see anything in a soulroom? I don't see lightbulbs or anything in Yami's soul room. Do you? O.o The light seems to just…appear. I have a theory, but still, it doesn't make sense…

Explanation here on why there is no punctuation for cell speaking: There are no quotation marks (" ") or anything to denote cells speaking because, to put it bluntly, cells are simple-minded lifeforms. To have some funky symbols implies (to me) some special status or special speaking, like a yami or some super powerful being. Cells are neither; it is the concept of what they mean to say.

T.T Yes, the United States has an experimental Ebola vaccine. As of November 18, 2003, they began human trials. T.T The trials, however, are _not_ testing whether the vaccine works on humans, but rather if it is _safe_ for humans. (_wails_) Nooo! Ebola is not meant to be stopped like this! It has to destroy the world! … Heh heh, but I'll fix that in this fic… On one hand, I like the idea that they have a vaccine. On the other hand, I kinda like the idea of Ebola on the loose… AND I WANNA VOLUNTEER FOR THE VACCINE! (Everyone: O.O) But you have to be 18 or older…

Pandemic – a small scale epidemic, concentrated over a small geographical area. Say Japan, for instance. Just kidding.

The song excerpt is called _Keep the Candle Burning_ by Point of Grace. I don't own it. (Song excerpt has been removed. Go to mediaminer(dot)org to read.)

**Author's End Notes:**

(Altered) WAI! Thankee, everyone! (_hands over brownies and Ravager plushies_) TA-DA! Don't worry, the brownies are non-toxic, no Ebola added. Plushie is for souvenir of surviving this fic so far. (Djanil: -.- Obsession…) THANKS TO: **takuya, Mugendai, ACME-Rian, DarkChao1663, Spice P.I., LadyDeathStrike1, Jenniyln Maxwell, Sorceress Vannesa, Capito Celcior, Una1, hobbit13, Kasumi kouri gaki, Towairaito Zoon, Angelbrite, Shibby-One, High Crystal Guardian, yami blue eyes white dragon, Amiasha Ruri**, and **Silver Dragon, Iron Claws**. (Review replies have been moved to my website.) 

LoneWolf: (_grins_) Funfunfunfun! Lotsa fun! Eeeeee!

Djanil: (_shakes head_) Oh no.

LoneWolf: (_bursts_) HE EXPLODED! Funfunfunfun! (_dances_) Hahahaha! (_makes explosion noises_) KA-PLEWIE!

Djanil: Readers, this is LoneWolf on a sugar-high, except there is no sugar involved. -.- She's high on Ebola.

LoneWolf: (_grins_) More fun next chappie! We get to see more blood, more pain, and more Ravager beauty! We take a look into science, there are some deep thoughts, (_nodnod_) and Yami falls deeper into the Ravager pit! Yea!

Yami: -.- You are cruel.

LoneWolf: Funfunfun! (_bounces_) Review, please – hey, and if you liked the explosion, say so! (_thinks_) Or for some of you, perhaps not… (_waves_) A grand red explosion for a very happy happy new year! See you later! The Ravager shall strike again!


	10. The Fifth of Darkness

LoneWolf: O.O … I- I- I- I- …I act– (_slumps into chair, sending it spinning_) … Wow. (_speechless_) (_mouth slacks open and everything_)

Djanil: (_sighs_) What LoneWolf is trying to say is, "I actually reached 100 reviews."

LoneWolf: (_throws pencil at Djanil_) Be appreciative for once, okay? This is like, monumental. Totally unheard of for newbies. This is-

Djanil: -great, awesome, whatever. (_noses keyboard_) Now hurry up and get on with the fic, alright?

LoneWolf: … Mwhee! Explosions! Funfunfun! (_types madly_) So…continuing...

//…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami. Warning: Long chapter, once more. 29 pages.

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf does not own YGO, Ebola, or dangerous chemicals  
Note: As of 4/29/05 this fic was overhauled majorly. Original format can be found on mediaminer. Quotes have been removed. Quotes were _formally_ from:  
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world. New York: Doublesday, 1997.  
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.  
As of 4/29/05 Toboe LoneWolf has eithier deleted those quotes or replaced them with her own writing. As in, the replacements will be italized, impersonal, and a outside viewpoint on the looks of things and will be Toboe LoneWolf's own work.

* * *

_...Omens of blood, omens of darkness..._

__

Chapter Ten: The Fifth of Darkness

//Heh heh…first blood…//

Ryou uncurled, trying to shut out Bakura's mutterings. His darker self was getting more and more…dangerous the longer he stayed here. The deeper they delved into Yami's memories the darker and angrier the Spirit of the Ring became. If this continued, Ryou feared that Bakura would take over and destroy something just for the fun of it.

//I can't wait until the next part…Oh Ra, this is going to be such _fun_…//

Nope, this was not good. Ryou shook his head. He somehow had to keep his yami in check from having more "fun"…if that was possible.

Kaiba had his face turned towards the wall, shoulders hunched over. He had to get himself under control. A little – all right, a lot – of blood shouldn't phase him. Kaiba prided himself on his tight control over his emotions. After all, to survive the cutthroat business world he had to. And yet, something so primal as blood shook Kaiba to the core. There was something about that blood, about that boy, that made shivers go down his spine. Something familiar…

Suddenly a hand rested on Kaiba's shoulder. Tensing, Kaiba whirled around to meet Shadi's sea green eyes.

Shadi spoke in a low voice. "You look troubled, Seto. Bitter memories?"

Kaiba growled, shrugging off Shadi's hand. "Go away."

"Be warned, Seto Kaiba. Your past cannot be denied. You will have to face painful memories." Shadi's closed his eyes. "This is just the beginning."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and hardened his face. "Whatever."

A few steps away, Tristan and Tea huddled next to each other on the floor. That was one of the freakiest things they had ever seen. Okay, the stealing-soul thing in Duelist Kingdom was pretty freaky. The mind games the darker Malik played were freaky too. But those were magical, almost mystical. That was supernatural, while this was real and physical. Perhaps a little too physical. Lethally physical.

Tristan glanced down at Tea. "Um, Tea? You…okay?"

Tea leaned on Tristan's shoulder. "Relatively speaking, no. But thanks."

He awkwardly put an arm around Tea. "Um, well, everything's gonna be okay," Tristan lamely said.

"Tristan? I don't want to talk about it."

Yugi attempted to make himself as small as possible, hugging his legs as close to his chest and ducking his head. Attempting to get away from the memories now implanted in his mind. Attempting to blot out the red dotted haze that formed before his closed eyes.

" 'Ey, Yugi. You alright?" Joey's concerned eyes filled Yugi's vision.

Long pause. Eventually Yugi mumbled, "I am not getting up."

Joey grimaced and plopped down next to Yugi. "Yuge, that was the freakiest thing I ever saw, and I've seen pretty freaky stuff."

"I don't _want_ to see more freaky stuff."

"Yeah." Joey leaned back, resting his weight on his arms, glancing at the door in front of them. "It'd be so much easier if we didn't haveta _watch_. Or whatever it is. But there's still three doors to find. Who knows what memory is hidden in them?" He shook his head. "More blood? More death?"

Yugi winced. "More pain, that's what." The fever was almost overwhelming for Yami, although it was a dull thud in Yugi's head. Yugi did not envy the positively horrendous headache that Yami must be experiencing right now. Yugi rubbed the temples of his forehead, attempting to alleviate his own headache.

Yugi gave up and closed his eyes. "But we've got to find those doors to save Yami, disturbing memories or not." His voice was soft and weak, hesitant. He wasn't sure if he could carry through. Not after this. "We have to."

"Ya mean save both of you." Joey poked Yugi. "If he goes, so do you, 'cause you share the same body, right?"

Yugi shuddered. "I don't want to even think about that."

Joey flashed his famous grin and dragged Yugi up to his feet, ruffling Yugi's hair. "Naaw, don't. We'll find those doors in no time. Don't you worry." He gave a thumb's up. "We're not going to give up so easily."

A weak smile crept across Yugi's face. "Yeah. We've got to keep going." Yugi wearily looked around at the almost broken group around him. "Ready to go, guys?"

Yugi could practically see a mask fall on everyone's face as they pulled on a false facade of confidence and shoved whatever troubled them in a far-off corner of their own minds. The open wounds were temporarily closed; to be taken care of at a later time. They got up and put together an artificial sense of security and happiness.

"Um, anyone has an idea of where to go?" Yugi asked.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Other than meandering and trusting to sheer chance, no, I believe we do not."

Tristan groaned with dramatics. "Oh great. More wandering. That was so much fun the last time."

"Hey, let me try!" Tea popped in, grinning a little too widely. "A woman's intuition might do it!"

All guys pull total blank as the shock reaches their masculine barrier of stoicalness. Woman's…intuition. Ah, yes. _Intuition:_ the act of knowing without the use of rational processes; also the absence of reason. _Woman's intuition:_ the strange phenomenon of a woman who thinks she is right and then usually is. It's a difficult concept to understand, much to the despair of the male population and pessimists around the world.

Joey stared at Tea in doubt. "Do you really think that'd work, Tea?"

"You have a better idea?" Tea crossed her arms.

Yugi waved his arms. "Let's just try it, okay? It's better than nothing."

Tristan took a step back and mock-bowed before Tea. "Lead on Tea, O Greatest of Pathfinders, O Mother of Mazes, O Woman of Wisdom–"

Tea bopped him on the head. "Baka."

And so they followed Tea, trusting on "woman's intuition" to guide the way. At the first few crossroads, Tea made a big deal of "thinking" and "getting in touch" with her intuition to choose the right path. She even went so far as to stand in an Espa Roba-like pose. This continued for about three intersections, and then Joey yelled at her and even Kaiba had tacit approval of this. Tea said she just wanted to lighten up the gloomy mood, but apparently it didn't work. Afterwards, Tea was a little more sensible in choosing a path.

She led the group around, meandering up and down levels, crossing hallways and other nooks and crannies. Tea didn't go back down the long stairway they had taken previously, instead choosing to explore a second level of intricacies. It should be noted that she did not lead them into any dead-ends. Tea really didn't have a clue of where she was going, but at least the group was together instead of splitting into smaller groups and possibly getting stuck like Tristan had.

Tea let her mind wander as her feet were. It was strange to be leading the group for once. Usually it was Joey or Kaiba or Yugi who did the leading. Or to be more precise, the spirit that resided within Yugi.

Tea struggled with her feelings. It was if she were attempting to stand on two sides of a colossus. And not succeeding. _Great going Tea,_ she scolded herself. _You've fallen in love with a dead guy and you're currently wandering in his mind to save him and your best friend, who you also think you have feelings for. What are you doing?_

Quite frankly, she had no clue what she was doing. Dang female emotions are so hard to regulate, aren't they? Never logical, never sensible; not something you can squash down with a thumb to make it _stay_ there. She kind of wished someone would get in her face, give her a whack on the head, and wake her up to reality. She'd tried it by herself and it didn't work, except to give her a headache. So until then she'd have to struggle along, taking things as they come.

Tristan was doing much the same, reminiscing over what had happened. Let's see, he'd been taking a nap when his dream of Serenity turned into a nightmare. Then they ran around Yugi's body for a while, and then decided that taking a trip around his mind was an even better idea. Somehow they'd gotten the idea that opening certain doors would fix Yugi and that other spirit of his up, and then got stuck in a memory of that Pharaoh dude. That'd happened…let's see, four times. Tristan looked at his watch. Time elapsed…

Umm…none?

Tristan stared at his watch. The digital readout read 7:07 37. And stayed that way. Maybe it was…stalled. He tapped the face of the watch. Nope.

"Um…guys? Is it just me, or did time stop?"

"Wha?" Joey exclaimed. "How'd that happen?"

Tristan turned his wrist around so everyone could see. "It's still seven minutes past seven. That's about the time we came back from the hospital." He wiggled his watch. "And it's not keeping time. It's stuck."

"Maybe it's just your watch?" Tea hopefully pointed out.

"I paid 2500 yen for this! No way does this just break!" Tristan said. "And if it did, I want my money back…"

"The passage of time cannot be calculated in soulrooms. However, experience helps one judge how much time has passed." Shadi paused. "It could possibly, as you measure time, be midnight in the outside world. Perhaps not. Memories distort judgement."

At that moment, Joey's stomach made an enormous growl that everyone heard.

"Bodily functions generally also come under this concept of time in soulrooms." Shadi looked down at Joey. "However, our mind may perceive the need of hunger or set traditions of consumption."

Tea rolled her eyes. "Which for Joey, is about an hour."

Joey grinned sheepishly. "Um, I'm hungry?"

Ryou fumbled around his blue jacket. "Here. Have this." He handed over some kind of beef jerky.

//Hey! That's mine!//

/Spirit, do you really want to hear Joey complain about food for the rest of this…mission?/

//…//

/I'll take that as a yes./

Joey thankfully grabbed it and bit off a chunk. "Thanks, Ryou."

After this little episode of the definition of the passage of time in soulrooms and also food problems, things went back into the set routine of wandering aimlessly while following Tea. This is clearly quite productive. In a very warped sense.

Tea at the front, looking totally dazed. Tristan off to the side, brooding. Joey on the other edge of the hallway, muttering to himself and ripping apart the beef jerky as if that could console him. (Which is possible. Food is very, very soothing in times of stress. Cofffeeee…) Shadi, as usual, was right in the middle of the hallway, looking straight ahead. Kaiba was, for once, hiding in the shadows, with his shoulders hunched over, daring for someone to move into his proximity. Yugi somewhat behind him, gripping the Puzzle and walking like a sleepwalker. And Ryou at the very end, trailing the others and cupping his hands around his glowing Ring… not good.

Kaiba brooded as they wandered down various corridors. He had to figure this out once and for all, or at least sort out the facts in some logical order.

Okay, first assume that there is magic, that spirits can exist, and that reincarnation is possible. Of course, if this were false, all of the following conclusions are false as well. The only proof of this "magic" was that one: people are doing things that can't be done, like this memory thing; two: He had unfortunately experienced it; and three: there are some definite weird things happening around lately, and the explanations given were "magic." Kaiba did notice that _something_ changed about Yugi whenever they dueled, and sometimes when they talked. And all of those weird things in Battle City, according to Yugi, were due to "spirits" who were from the past. Bah humbug. But these memories (they could still be sophisticated holograms though) definitely made some Yugi look-alike to be Pharaoh. This led to the possibility of Yugi being a descendant or a reincarnation of the Pharaoh. After all, Yugi looked a lot like the Pharaoh, even acted like him somewhat. So protective of his "people." Not to mention a peculiar similarity to a certain stone tablet in a museum…

…Which also had a depiction that looked a lot like him. This led to the possibility of himself also being a reincarnation or descendant, which was something Kaiba did not like at all. Even if he could read ancient text, had some unsettling dreams, had various feelings of deja vu, and had a strange alikeness to someone from the past, that did not mean exclusively that he, Seto Kaiba, was of any relation to the Priest Seto of the past. It could all be coincidence. Possibly. Pure luck. Unfortunately, Kaiba did not think too highly of "luck" either…

Whatever. In any case, he was not going to fall into the myth of Egyptian fairy tales. Numbers, data, written documents – those he could believe. Memories, coincidence, and the say-so of others he could not. And Kaiba resolved that unless he found cold hard facts to prove it, he would not believe.

Ryou was having his own problems. He stayed in the back close to the walls. Something was bugging him. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but Bakura seemed a little too happy. If that were possible. Bakura was never this happy after bloodshed. And for some unknown reason, Ryou felt that his mind had been distinctively empty at times…

//Oh, you're all concerned. How touching, Ahou.// Bakura laughed, and it was disturbingly cheerful – until it darkened. //Now butt out of my business.//

/Y'sir./

But Ryou couldn't help but worry. It was his nature after all. After Battle City, he had to make sure the Spirit of the Ring didn't mess with his tentative friends. And something was not quite right…

Yugi was tagging along at the end of the group. From time to time he would either rub his temples or whack himself on the head, whichever suited his purposes against the ever-present headache. At least he could walk by himself instead of having Joey carry him like last time.

There was something wrong, though. The Puzzle around his neck was pulsating, as if trying to notify its holder to do something. But do what? Yugi was just getting really edgy, like something gritty was coming across his mind and continually rubbing against him.

Time went on, each person in deep thoughts. (Well, mostly deep. Some artificially deep.) They became used to the sounds of hollow footsteps, mutterings, and the chewing of beef jerky. They did not notice added noises, such as the hum of ancient magic and a distant rumbling. Although they did not notice, the noise, or what made it, certainly noticed them.

Tea stopped suddenly. "Guys, I think we're close."

"Whaaa?" Joey asked confusedly. "I don't see any door."

Tea frowned. "I don't know, but I feel that we're really close…"

And then hell decided to make some noise.

Beneath their feet, the brick rumbled and quaked, some small bits even shaking loose. Footing suddenly became precarious and the sound of falling rocks could be heard distantly. Large rocks. Along with the particular clang of bending metal. Something was pushing from beneath the floor; they could see the floor actually rising, stone cracking and crumbling as the foundations were literally ripped open. It was quite simply, chaos.

Those who carried Millenium Items felt their items flare with heat that did not burn. Shadi's eyes widened as he felt yet another door open. The pointers of the Ring flew haywire for a few seconds. Bakura had a few choice curses that needed to be said about this, and did so. Yugi stumbled back, clutching his Puzzle as he felt something leave…

"Gaahh! What's happening?" Joey jumped.

"It's the Ravager!" Shadi shouted. "Move!"

Yugi gasped as he felt the Puzzle throb madly. He grasped the Puzzle in his hands, reaching for that underlying bond to his other self. /Yami! What's wrong?/

Then the _rush_, the crash, a blast of pain and terror–from Yami?– cascading of memories upon old memories, a feeling of holes being ripped open and a desperate race to plug them up. And then nothing.

The brick floor finally gave away, right where Tea had been standing. She gave a gut-wrenching shriek, arms flailing as she searched for some handhold before she fell into a seemingly bottomless pit. Joey and Tristan leapt forward, attempting to reach her before she was lost.

They did not succeed.

__

"Tea!" Yugi screamed. He dashed to the edge of the opening void, a vast hole that seemed to go on forever. Yugi collapsed and stretched out a hand in futilely.

From below, the Ravager rose up from the depths and gazed into their eyes.

It glided out of the chaos it had created, simply rising from a pool of darkness like a leviathan from the deep. It had come up from beneath them, bursting out of the brick floor. A single primal Beast had somehow managed to find its way into Yami's soulroom and decided to wreck some havoc.

Whoever had created the thing certainly had some sense of artistic style. Black sheaths rippled and shone, sleek with power. It moved with ease, reveling in the contained power within it. Spikes studded down the length of its body, as if the thing needed any more weaponry than it already had. It was, quite simply, a thing of destruction, created for that purpose only.

The Ravager seemed to turn its head (or something like it), observing the seven before it. It paused in front of Yugi, before snaking towards him. It reared its head, as if to strike…when suddenly, it halted and jerked its head up. It seemed to be listening to something. And then it nodded and slithered away, back down the hole it had created. Down the hole where Tea had fell.

Silence.

"That- that–" Tristan stuttered.

"That was the Ravager." Shadi affirmed. "Being of Death. And now we have even less time than before. The Ravager had reached the Pharaoh's mind. It is slowly destroying him, eating his mind away. Time is running out. If we do not find the remaining three memories, we will lose them both."

All eyes turned towards Yugi, who was slumped on the ground, eyes glazed. He could feel the bond between himself and his other self wavering, weakening. Yugi was sobbing. "Tea… Yami…God, it's eating him away…it's eating his mind, his heart, his _soul_…they're dying…I can't leave him like this…"

Joey stumbled towards Yugi. "Yuge, man, get up!"

Tears streamed on Yugi's cheeks.

Joey shook Yugi's shoulders. "Snap outta it! We gotta stay focused!" Joey punctuated every word with a shake. "Yami's counting on you to keep your head on!"

"Jou…I couldn't save him after all… "

"No way! I ain't givin' up, so don't you give up either!" Joey growled. "_We're not gonna give up now!_ Not you, not Tea, and especially not Yami!"

Shocked, Yugi stared into Joey's eyes. Wide and honest, there was no room for lies. _Come on,_ they said_. Don't let go now. Let me share the pain. We're _all_ here for you._

"Come on, Yuge." Joey pleaded. "Get up. I swear, Tea's still alive."

"Really?" Yugi whispered. "How do you know?"

"GUYS! ANYONE?" Tea's voice echoed around them.

"Wha?" All the guys exclaimed.

"What the–" Joey jumped up, and Yugi unsteadily got to his feet, hope rising in his eyes. "WHERE ARE YOU?" Joey yelled.

"DOWN HERE!"

The group heard the voice coming from the hole. Had Tea actually survived the fall?

Tea had managed to keep a grip on her mind when the floor suddenly gave way. She had felt something really strange on the way down, but that was probably due to shock or something, she rationalized. Tea landed somewhat smoothly, bending her knees and thanking the dressing gods that she had chosen to wear her boots today instead of high heels. Much better at absorbing shock. She tripped a second later, tumbling onto the hard brick floor with a thud. Grumbling, she got up, pushing off the floor with mysteriously scrapped hands and gasping as she regained the breath that had been squashed by fear.

She looked up to see a ceiling with a hole and the door of the Necklace under her feet. Well, this was certainly interesting.

It was at this point that Tea yelled.

"Tea! Are you okay?" Yugi called down. "Where are you?"

Tea craned her neck up. "Yeah, I'm fine!" She waved her arms. "I'm down here!"

"She's alive!" Tristan exclaimed.

Joey whacked Tristan's head. "Duh."

"And guys, I found the door of the Necklace!" Tea beamed. "I told you I'd find it! It's down here!"

Above, all guys sweatdropped. "Well, you certainly have an interesting way of finding things, Tea." Kaiba remarked.

Shadi walked over and peered down. "It appears to be that this hole is not endless." Shadi paused. "I thought that this had been another mental defense, but apparently not so…"

Tristan looked down. Blackness. Again. "Tea, I don't see anything. Where _are_ you?"

"I'm right _here_!" Tea waved her arms.

Yugi squinted over the edge. He could kind of see the brick floor below him, but it looked really, really far away. Actually everything looked a bit hazy, and darkness seemed to swirl around like that funky stuff last time. Not that heights unnerved him or anything, but he doubted if it were as close as Tea said…"Tea, I really don't think that's a close bottom…"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "For you, nothing is close."

"Hey!" Yugi craned his neck to see Kaiba smirking and groaned. "Kaiba, you too? Why can't anyone appreciate the small?"

Joey snickered, and then edged over so he could look down also. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Just Tea's exasperated face. "Tea, I'm lookin' down, and I'm not seeing anything 'cept you…"

Tea sighed loudly. "Guys, if I say I see something, I see something!" Tea took a breath. "Look, I was a gymnast when I was younger and I still take dance lessons now. I should know how to fall and how high I'm falling from. And I'm saying it's no more than ten meters high…"

Ryou frowned. "But how are we going to get down?" He peeked over the edge. "It looks really deep…"

//Coward.//

"Um…I can catch?" Tea hopefully said.

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Riiigght…"

Tea rolled her eyes. "I'm also a cheerleader, guys. We do this all the time!" Tea was getting a bit frustrated now. "Are you coming down or what? We don't have time to waste, you know!"

All the guys looked dubiously at each other. Alrighty then, let's list the facts: 1) The next door was down there. 2) They were up here. 3) They had to get down there. 4) Assets: They had one girl down there. 5) Plan: The girl proposed that she catch them. 6) Problem: No guy ever wants to be caught that way. 7) Unfortunately, there was no other choice.

See all guys sigh in agreement. Tristan called down, "Alright Tea, we're gonna jump down then. Ready?"

Tea nodded, even though they couldn't see her. "Yeah. Um, just one of you guys jump down at a time, okay? I'm the only one down here…so um, I think Yugi'd better go first…"

All eyes turned towards Yugi, who squeaked. "Me? Now?"

Joey grinned. "Yep, you Yuge." He winked. " 'Sides, do you really think she could catch one of us by herself?" He flexed his arm muscles, which made everyone around him face-fault.

Yugi scooted over to the edge and looked down. Gaaah, not good idea. He knew that it wasn't that far down – Tea proved that – but that didn't stop his body from thinking it was a hundred meters up anyway. Tea seemed to be a little tiny dot, the size of his fingernail.

"Come on, Yugi. I'll catch you!" Tea spread out her arms.

The irony of it was monumental. The description is simply…disturbing. There was Yugi, teetering over a brick edge, about to jump into Tea's arms. The scene is quite amusing…for an observer's point of view.

Yugi closed his eyes, took a deep breath, _really_ wished that Yami was coherent now, and stepped off the edge like he was walking off the plank.

A few milliseconds of sheer terror and then a long moment of embarrassment, because he happened to be on top of Tea and Tea happened to be dazed on the floor, rubbing her head.

"Tea? Tea? Are you okay?" Yugi scrambled off of Tea.

"Ow. Haven't exactly done that recently in cheerleading practice." Tea said without opening her eyes, and moaned. "Yugi, next time try falling horizontally…I forgot to tell you guys that…"

"Oops. Sorry." Yugi pulled Tea back up into a sitting position, leaning against Yugi. "Here. Better now?"

"Much." Tea lurched back upright, shaking her head to clear her eyes. Swirls are not something she should see in her vision. Ah, much better. She turned towards Yugi. "Thanks."

Yugi looked around. They had fallen into yet another level of Yami's soulroom. More sets of stairways and twisted doorways, halls that went nowhere and an endless place of mazes…

"Hey, you two? You guys alright or do we haveta call in the expert?" Joey yelled down.

"We're fine!" Yugi yelled back.

"Really, then? 'Cause Tristan's coming down!"

"Not yet!" Tea yelled. "Have to get ready first! And try falling horizontally!"

She whirled towards Yugi and then glanced up to where Tristan was standing. "Yugi, you stand over there," she pointed to a place a meter in front of her, "hold your hands like this, and get ready to catch Tristan's legs."

Yugi nodded. "Right." He looked up. "Alright, Tristan! Let's go!"

"Bomb's away!"

Most of the rest of the group got down without much problem, although Joey decided to fall face down instead of face up, giving the impression that Superman had lost the ability to fly. At least, that's what he tried to look like. Kaiba's trenchcoat, being the long, bulky thing that it was, added much padding. This was a good thing, because since the trenchcoat made it difficult to tell exactly where Kaiba's body was, Kaiba slipped out of their hands at the last second and fell onto the ground. Shadi falling put in a whole new perspective to the Holder of the Ankh; it's not every day that you see Shadi's clothes waving around like the mysterious breeze that comes whenever yamis appear. It almost looked as if Shadi were a falling mummy, arms crossed and everything. The trailing banner that came out of his turban was also very interesting…

But poor Ryou, scared guy that he is, had a pretty hard time going down. He managed to get his toes up to the edge and stand up, but that was about it. Everybody else had already gone down and was calling up at him, saying that it was fun or cool or not that bad, but he just couldn't make himself jump off.

//You useless, spineless idiot! You can't even jump off a measly ledge!//

Ryou squeaked.

Bakura screamed. //Do I have to do everything that is remotely interesting?// He brutally grabbed control. //Now vessel, watch and for once, learn something that is applicable to life.//

In his soulroom, Ryou couldn't help but mutter, /Jumping off of high places is applicable to a normal teenager?/

Bakura snarled. //Ahou, I heard that. Consider another word your death.// And with that Bakura leaned forward and pushed off, straight into oblivion.

Ryou's clothes and hair whipped around him, blinding Ryou for a few crucial moments. Crucial, because Bakura had decided to play a trick and/or teach Ryou a lesson by relinquishing control in the middle of their "flight." A moment of "ignorance is bliss," and then Ryou found himself staring into the approaching face of Yugi who was apparently going to catch him.

/Iiiiiiiiiiieeeee! Yaaaammmmiii!/

A long, low chuckle as Ryou was enveloped in hands and arms. //That was fun,// Bakura commented.

Ryou shook his head as he was lowered to the ground. Now the spirit of the Ring was saying this strange adventure was "fun." Yep, hell had definitely frozen over…

Seto raised an eyebrow while Ryou brushed off his clothes and got up. "So where's the door, Tea?"

Tea smirked. "Under your feet, Kaiba."

Kaiba jumped off the door as if the door were on fire. The door was quite literally, in the floor. It had the same basic design – iron door with the symbol of the Necklace, a small puzzle on top and the thieves cant in the center, except the door opened into the floor. And as the rest of the group walked over towards the door, they saw that it had no handle.

"How are we gonna open this door if there's no handle?" Tristan asked confusedly, placing his hand where the handle should be.

"Um, just like last time? Ask the door?" Ryou put in timidly.

Tea tried it. "Please open, Door of the Necklace?"

The group collectively sighed when nothing happened. Nothing is ever that easy or repetitive. They all just sat around the door in the floor.

Joey sighed. "Gah, stuck. Again."

Tea squinted. There was more of that funny writing again…"Move over, Joey."

Joey raised an eyebrow as Tea breathed on a spot at the foot of the door and rubbed it, getting rid of the grime. And remarkably, writing appeared underneath her hands. Writing that they could understand. And as Kaiba, Shadi and Bakura noticed, the type that translated into several languages.

Tea read it aloud. _"Those who seek, find."_

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Oh sure, that helps. Find what?"

"The handle?" Ryou said. "Maybe it's just hidden."

"Yeah, but where?" Joey waved a hand over the door. "There's no handle at all!"

Tea pursed her lips. "Then we'll just have to find it. Maybe it's really small."

And so they examined the door meticulously to the point where they could distinguish a strand of hair. It was quite uncomfortable, kneeling on top of the door, as the markings and whatnot did not exactly have rounded edges, and the metal knobs on the edge were not pleasant to rest your knees on either.

It was Ryou who finally found it. "Hey guys, I think I've got it."

Everyone practically slumped to where he was pointing. "Whaaa?" Joey mumbled. ("My eyes hurt…")

Ryou indicated to a tiny blotch beneath one of the markings. The one that happened to be Bakura's mark, by the way. "See, there's a little ditch right here. And a really small dot in the center."

"Soo…" Tristan trailed off.

"I think it's a button." Ryou stated simply.

"So try it. Use one of the pointers of your Ring, Ryou." Yugi nodded. "I think that's the smallest thing we've got that'll push that button."

Ryou took off the Ring (with much yelling from Bakura) and poked one of the pointers into the hole. This resulted in a very loud creak and groan, and with much, much effort the door swung open, and since the door opened upwards, everyone on top of it fell off in a tumble. They had no time to right themselves before they were swept away into the memory of an ancient pharaoh as the air filled with the lingering smell of desert plants…

****

O O O

The body, or what was left of it, was put into a jar and handed to Karal. I gave prayers over the remains in hope that his spirit would survive Amenti, but I knew that the chances were slim. The jar was taken away in a great procession led by some priests while others did purification rites over the death-site.

"His death shall be avenged." Seto stated simply, thumping his staff on the stone floor, the hollow sounds echoing ominously.

I nodded. "His death shall not be in vain. Through his death our people will know life. "

Karim added mournfully, "It is the balance of things."

A long moment of silence. So much gained, but at what cost?

It was Shadi who finally spoke. "What shall we do now, Pharaoh?"

I sighed. "We need to test our plan first. This cure will take a great amount of time, magic and strength to put on all of the Black Land, and I do not want to waste our energy for something that may be fruitless."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "A test run then, Pharaoh?"

I nodded. "We need another person who is battling the Ravager now. And I would like it if this were done outside the palace walls. Too much blood has been shed in this place."

"So we must enter the diseased villages?" Akunadin distastefully said. "Places of death?"

Isis gave Akunadin a significant Look, the kinds that are permitted to the usage by women only. "_Because_ Akunadin, that happens to be where the cure will be most useful."

Akunadin glared at Isis, and Seto groaned. "Oh goodie. I am not looking forward to a stroll through rat-infested streets and dead bodies." Seto looked mournfully down at his garments. "Not to mention the considerable damage it will do to my clothing."

I snorted. Seto liked to dress in fancy clothes and flowing cloaks. On the second thought, all of my priests wore elaborate attire. All of us were wearing white robes with various layers, along with gold arm bracelets, wrist bracelets, belts, and neck dresses. And of course, our very…distinctive hairstyles. Isis, Shadi, Karim and Akunadin (who was one of the few who did not openly wear golden jewelry) were fairly normal in that they wore hoods or a typical Egyptian haircut, while Seto, Mahado, and myself were a bit more…creative. Mahado's cloak was attached to long, sloping shoulder plates, and his diadem was a very thick gold band with a circle in the front and two spikes pointing straight up. Seto favored a headdress that was very similar to my blue crown, except that it was purple and not of metal. He also wore a purple tunic over his robes, and on the center of his chest was an outstretched falcon. I wore the royal outfit of a purple cloak, a white tunic that covered my torso and ended in a skirt-like fashion, and enough gold to sick a ship. And of course I was fated to have a hairstyle that would fulfill omens, gossip, and various rumors.

In essence, none of us were going to fit into the lower class atmosphere. I laughed, though. "What Seto, you want us to start wearing peasant clothing? Loisha would have a fit!"

Shadi added wryly, "Although we would be a walking advertisement to thieves."

Mahado chuckled. "A thief daring to take us seven on? Oh please, Shadi!"

I walked over to the throne doors. "Whatever the case, let us go now, before the priests take notice and believe the world has come to the end."

Akunadin coughed. "Ah, Yami? The priests _will_ notice and _will_ believe the world will come to an end, because you will not be here to do the evening ceremony."

I groaned; I had forgotten that fact. "Give Loisha the task for this one night. Perhaps that will keep him busy enough to forget to worry about the fact that I am running about the streets of Thebes." I grabbed a bit of papyrus on a table nearby and wrote the various permissions and then placed it on the doorway where the priests would notice. "There. Knowing Loisha, he'll be so proud that he won't care what I'm doing. Let's go."

"Um, Yami? Aren't you forgetting something?" Seto pointed to the arrangement of weapons on the wall. "You have a reputation to keep. The Fighting Pharaoh."

I grimaced. My sword was a fine weapon, forged from the same metal that made up the Millenium Items, although it was not infused with magical qualities. However, it held a keen edge without much need for sharpening and was also very light and thin, not to mention also a wondrous golden color. In fact, it was my father who had forged that weapon; he had been so impressed with the physical qualities of the Millenium Items that he ordered other weapons to be made of the same material. He favored the battle-axe, though I favored the sword. It also happened to be unusual in that it was long and straight, with edges on both sides, while typical Egyptian swords are shorter, wider, and curved.

Granted, I was known as the Fighting Pharaoh due to my affinity for fighting to the very end, but swordplay was not one of my typical ways to "duel." However, as Seto said, I did have a reputation to keep. People tend to look at the outward appearance. I grabbed my sword and slid it into my scabbard, pushed the throne doors open and looked back at my priests who were all hesitating. "If we may all leave…?"

Akunadin coughed again. How proper, he was. "Pharaoh, is this wise? If the people see you unguarded, without your procession, they will spread fear that something is wrong."

Karim lowered his head. "Your control over the priests and the renegade magicians is tenuous. A sign of weakness or worry may create greater trouble. Please, Yami, rethink this."

Mahado stepped forward. "Pharaoh Yami, let my magicians take over. Surely they can create the cure; we have already found the way."

"But the people, Mahado!" Isis cried out. "While we stand here, our people die in piles! How can you call for patience?"

"Enough!" I commanded. "Isis is right. We cannot wait; we must act now before the fire becomes a firestorm."

And then to add to our troubles, someone burst in the room for the fourth time this day. I barely had enough time to get away from the door and in the proper center position. A guard, perhaps the one that had brought in the thief, bowed down. "Great Pharaoh! There's been a breakout from the dungeons!"

Inwardly I groaned. Note to self: reorganize the bureaucracy for more efficient management. Why must they always come to me? Even the simplest problems come to my feet for fixing!

Seto rolled his eyes. "And why, may I ask, did you have to come here in the middle of the night to bring us this fact? Surely the dungeon master can deal with a single escapee. And if not, this indicates laxness…"

"No sire, but the one who escaped left this behind. He was the insolent one I believe." He grimaced. "Apparently he was not too happy with the accommodations and decided to leave." The guard reached into his robes and pulled out a dagger. "He left a message."

I took the dagger and examined it. It was razor sharp from frequent use, although the owner apparently did not care about bloodstains on the hilt. On the metal, hieroglyphics were carved into it to read, "Kkwy tchetta er neheh." _Darkness forever and ever._

"Well, that's certainly frightening." Seto said sarcastically.

"And Honda is dead." The guard added simply. "The thief killed him with that knife in his escape. Jonouchi was wounded as well."

The knife clattered to the floor.

Honda, dead? He had been one of my good friends, even though there had been a social barrier. But he was one of the few people that I could leave the cloak of royalty behind and for once, be a normal person. And Jonouchi – that bold, brash fool – had been a loyal friend to the core. I had met them on my excursions out into the cities (the details involved a chase from an angry merchant and a seriously mad Seto) and the bonds of friendship had been quickly forged in our runaway. And now one of them had been permanently severed…

"Pharaoh, look!" Mahado pointed with his staff at the knife on the floor. "There is a magical signature on the blade!"

"What?" I exclaimed. I invoked the Puzzle to confirm it. The eerie sign of magic emerged from the metal, and it looked familiar. Dark, twisted and curving, sleek and– it was something I had seen before.

"The Ravager." Shadi grimly said. "The blade has the Ravager's mark."

"And if the Ravager is spread by blood…" Isis trailed off.

"Then Jonouchi will be walking with Anubis quite soon." Akunadin concluded. "Well, we've found our test."

I clenched my fists. How dare he consider my friend nothing more than a test? Jonouchi was more than that; he was a steadfast rock, always faithful, always willing to lend a hand. Logic won over rage though; I highly doubt Akunadin knew of my late-night excursions. It was a cold face though that stared into the guard's eyes.

"Where is Jonouchi?" I demanded. "When did he leave?"

The guard quailed. "H-h-home, I suppose…he was wounded on his arm, went to bandage it I think half a watermark ago…"

I stormed out the palace doors. Enough time had been wasted. "Then let's go." No Ra-cursed disease was going to take my friend away. Not in this lifetime.

I'm not quite too sure what happened immediately afterwards. My mind was on more pressing matters. For one, where did that thief obtain a magical blade? How had he escaped? And how, oh, _how_ could he have known about the Ravager? How could he know about the magical aspects of the Ravager? Mahado himself discovered that!

Somehow along the way I found myself riding Wahankh, my war horse. I believe there was some confusion behind me in the direction of the palace stables, and then six other horses galloped beside me, each carrying one of my priests. They seemed to be very irritated…perhaps they were not used to riding in haste.

We made it into the city without much mishap. I believe that there was only one miffed diplomat and a few startled cats, but the palace people were used to horses barging through the palace gates. We were riding through Thebes at night into the lower part of the city because it was a shortcut. Even with the darkness, I could feel my people's horror.

Bodies strewn in the alleys, decaying and giving off putrid smells. Mothers screaming, children running, tripping, falling into half-hardened pools of blood. Men limping on the streets, only managing to stumble away. Rats scurrying over twitching bodies. The local priest in this particular section of the city was chanting prayers to the goddess Isis for healing as flames circled around him, as bodies burned. I whispered my own prayer. May Ra protect us all.

And yet, for all the magic and power granted to me as Pharaoh, I could not save them. There was neither time nor the strength to heal every sickened individual in front of me. I could not protect them as my duty required. To save Jonouchi, who had a better chance of survival, or the dying people in front of me? _There is no time to save them all_, my mind argued, though my heart cried traitor.

Their wails will haunt me for the rest of my days.

Jonouchi's home was in a somewhat higher part of town; this section of Thebes had at least body-carriers to lug away the dead bodies. Most of the people had locked themselves inside, not daring to even step outside into Death.

"Pharaoh! _Look!"_

I whirled my head around to see Isis pointing up into the night sky, her blue eyes wide and open. "What is it? We cannot stop now!"

"Look at the moon!" Her horse stumbled in Isis' hesitation.

I took a quick glance at the moon. And then jerked to a stop in shock.

The moon was _blood red._

The rest of my priests had stopped as well, horses sliding their hooves on the dirt. We all stared at the moon, the moon of white that had turned into blood. In the past, this event had been recorded in the scrolls, infrequently and with ominous warnings. For every time it had appeared, hardship and trouble followed. It was a sign of chaos and forewarning, a time of death. The gods were at war.

It was an omen of death.

Mahado spoke into the silence. "What is happening? Has it been destined to end now?"

"You are too gulliable." Seto scowled at Mahado, waving his left hand at the moon. "Forget 'Destiny.' As for me, I will make my own destiny." He abruptly wheeled his horse around and nodded towards me. "Yami, let's go. We are going to crush the Ravager once and for all."

"But–" Isis feebly answered. "The omens–"

"Down the Nile with omens!" Seto interjected. "Nothing is going to happen to Yami! And while we're worrying about omens, someone is dying that we might be able to save. So let's _go!_"

Seto spurred his horse on, and I urged Wahankh as well. There was just this street and one turn, and then we would wrestle with Anubis for Jonouchi's life.

****

O O O

__

In a world within a world, another cell was unlocked. This cell was armored and armed to the teeth to seek and destroy. While its younger brother used guerrilla tactics, hitting and then quickly dodging away, this cell was not meant to retreat.

This cell was a tank. 

The new cell joined the ranks with the symbol of the Necklace shining brightly on its center. It immediately charged the infantry of the Ravager. Swarms fell.

Unfortunately, one tank cannot win a war. Neither can an entire platoon of tanks. No, what the defending army needed was its killing machines…

**O x x x x x O**

Bakura lurked the hidden passageways of the Pharaoh's soulroom yet again. Ah, this was quite fun. He'd waited three thousand years for this chance. Now the Pharaoh was weak from the Ravager, and finally Bakura could have his revenge.

Bakura glared at a nearby door and wrenched it open. Perhaps luck was on his side…

__

"Sir, the thieves are acting up again."

I groaned. "Again? I thought I'd caught their King a month ago."

"Apparently there's a new one now…"

Bakura kicked the door closed. So the Pharaoh still remembered him, ever so vaguely, hmm? Bakura grinned. If only the Pharaoh knew. _He_ had lost it all, but Bakura remembered everything, burned into his mind.

He traced his hands across the crumbling brick wall. Ah, everything was going to plan. It had taken awhile, but finally things were going his way. Bakura grinned. His heart began to beat faster as he saw bloodlust, vision hazed in red. He licked his lips. Oh yes, now this was the good part. The Ravager had been unleashed.

First blood was _theirs_.

One predator heard the call of another predator, and like the cry of the pack, answered that call.

The Ravager emerged from the wall, shedding its camouflage and revealing its true nature. The two hunters stared at each other.

Bakura chuckled. "Ah, I should have known."

The Ravager nodded, and then jerked its head.

"Ra curse it, I'm _working_ on it! I'm only one spirit here!" Bakura growled. "I did _my_ part three thousand years ago, the part _you_ failed!" Bakura moved his hand to his back pocket. "So excuse me, I have some searching to do…"

It bowed its head, and then crept away. Bakura sneered and then focused on the Ring, because it was time for him to return. Cursed vessel kept waking up; perhaps he needed to get some tranquilizers. His hunt would have to continue later.

**x x x x x**

If someone had entered ICU 105, they would have thought that Yami was sleeping peacefully. But appearances can be deceiving.

Yami was not in much pain anymore. It was distant, muted. Like someone had stuffed a pillow over a stereo that had been on max volume. In fact, Yami was not really aware of anything that much anymore. He vaguely understood that he was sick, and that someone was going to make him feel better…but who? Yami tried to concentrate, but his mind was falling apart. What was happening? Where was he?

__

Ebola is wiping out his personality by brain damage. This is called depersonalization, where the spark and life of personal characteristics seem to vanish. He is becoming an robot on autopilot. Little sections of his brain are blinking out. The brain struggles, of course. Every now and then the flatlines twitch, as if something still defied the concept of death. Eventually only the deeper parts of the brain stem survives, the higher functions of your brain destoryed – thought, reasoning...humanity. It is as if you as a physical being exist, but who you are does not.

Oh Ra, help me…wait…who is Ra? Yami couldn't make out anything, couldn't remember anything. There was something just out of reach, and Yami struggled for that last mental millimeter. Something was wrong, but…what?

Who am I? Where am I? Yami couldn't piece it all together. He knew it was there, but he couldn't make the pieces fit. What is my name? What do I even look like? It was all too confusing…

The Puzzle glowed, the Eye of Horus appearing on the sick Pharaoh's head. Its magic flowed into its bearer, instinctively cradling the heart and the deep memories of the King of Games. Locking certain doors, enforcing crumbling walls, and supporting the soul, sacrificing the outer in order to save the core. As if it were second thought, the Puzzle moved to guard newer doors, the ones that contained the memories of a boy. The Puzzle seemed to sense the Pharaoh's connection to this boy and exerted its magic to protect these new memories as well.

Wait…something…he was missing something…something forgotten…yes…there was something else… he _had_ to find it. To go back, and search, for something that was lost…But could he? It seemed to be so long, so very long ago…

There was a boy, yes, a boy…he was to help him…somehow…who was he?

A picture, or a memory, came to Yami's mind. A smiling, open face, beaming down at him. He looked so young and innocent, like an angel. Always able to see the light in the dark. Always ready to forgive and to trust wholeheartedly, time after time, naively, hopefully, waiting for a change. He was reaching out a hand.

The boy whispered, _"Come on, it's not so bad. Let me show you…"_

Yami tried to reach up, but he had no strength. The memory faded away into a void.

Yami struggled to remember. The boy seemed so familiar. He _knew_ that boy from somewhere. More memories appeared of the innocent boy. Pictures of his family, of his friends. Of some sort of game, of a friend… his struggles, his belief in the triumph of good…

The boy would do anything for his friends, Yami noticed. Most people didn't notice, but that boy had a core of fire that could not be burnt out. With that fierce determination, that boy could overcome it all for his friends. Wistfully, Yami thought it must be nice. He certainly couldn't remember any friends…or did he?

It was all too distant, all too long ago. Yami couldn't remember. And why did he remember this boy? Did he have some sort of connection? For some reason, Yami felt like he did. Or he used to…

Perhaps he'd better find him then.

Yes, perhaps then he'd remember.

He had to.

**x x x x x**

Tsuikyu, an intern at Domino Hospital, sighed as he entered the small room. Tsuikyu was a trainee, only twenty-seven years old, and he aimed to be a surgeon someday. He was a quiet man, enjoying fishing rather than basketball as a favorite sport. Tall, with blue eyes, he tended to stay away from people and would rather look at the newest blood sample than watch doctors rush about in the ER.

In his hands Tsuikyu carried the latest blood sample from Yugi Motou from ICU 105.

This was going to be fun. Dangerous, but fun.

He had been told about what was in the blood that he carried. The intern who had analyzed Yugi Motou's blood when he had first arrived to the hospital had been scared to death. Tsuikyu's reaction? "Cool! Can I see? …Shoot, you threw it away!"

Tsuikyu had immediately asked to analyze any further samples. Strange how no one else wanted to…

Tsuikyu carefully set the array of test tubes onto the counter. He searched for the latest one – ah, there it was, not even an hour ago. With a gloved hand, he pulled out the tube that was filled with blood and placed it into the centrifuge machine. He flipped the button on. With a hum, the machine spun the tube round and round, till all of the busted cells were squashed onto the bottom of the tube, taking less than five minutes. With extreme care, Tsuikyu turned off the centrifuge and took out the tube. From it, he scratched out the lump of cells, a lump of meat for the predator within. He plunked the lump – no bigger than a pinhead – onto a little plug of plastic. Tsuikyu picked up the plug and moved to another machine. He set the plug inside and turned the machine. This machine was perhaps the sharpest machine on earth, containing a diamond blade sharp enough to slice a virus, the smallest lifeform (if it could be called that) on earth.

The machine sliced the Ebola virus like cheese. Tsuikyu edged once slice out and moved it to the electron microscope. This machine was able to magnify things 112,000 times, enough to view a virus that was no more than 800 to 1,000 nanometers long, where 1 nanometer equals one-billionth of a meter.

Tsuikyu edged around and sat down in the small seat in front of the electron microscope. It was a bit difficult, as he was wearing one of those biohazard suits Doctor Seimei had insisted on. He had to be careful, because these suits ripped very easily.

He switched the microscope on. And the Ebola virus appeared in all its glory.

It was like mass of worms, or a pile of snakes, all slithering and writhing around the dead cells. Ebola viruses are some of the largest and most unusual viruses that Mother Earth has to offer. Long, thin, and cylindrical, this peculiar protein shape made scientists put Ebola and its sister Marburg in a family of its own, "Filoviridae," with a single genus, "Filovirus." Sometimes, because of their length, the viruses actually fuse together, forming one long strand of a Death-making machine.

Ebola is actually fairly primitive. It's protein shell is made up of only seven proteins, while the common cold contains over twenty proteins, each which mutate freely. Ebola is made up of RNA, which is a primitive form of the "modern" DNA. Basically, Ebola is a virus meant to do one thing: destroy.

__

Ebola rather simple – like a simple firestorm. It kills with swift efficiency and with a vast range of devastating weapons.

Oh, Tsuikyu knew the statistics. (He memorized them from his textbook.) In more scientific terms, the virus was pleomorphic, unusual in itself. It consisted of a nucleoprotein, a glycoprotein, 7 polypeptides, a polymerase, and 4 other undesignated proteins; made from polyadenylated mRNA; contained a nucleocapsid, which is surrounded by a cross-striated helical capsid. There is an axial channel in the nucleocapsid, and a lipoprotein unit derived from the host cell surrounds the whole virus. And yet today, with all of medical science pushing it, they were still clueless to this miniature predator's strategies.

__

In biology, nothing ever simple. Everything is too complicated, everything is a mess, and just when you think you know everything there is to know about something, you peel off a layer and find a bigger mess beneath.

Tsuikyu looked into the viewing screen, into a world of a microscopic living system. It was like seeing another planet, its lifeforms, its atmosphere…and its predators. Tsuikyu became acutely aware that he was working in a primitive Level 4 zone, a place with no cure and with a known killer in front of him. A shiver ran down his spine.

He focused on a single virus, the twisted thing it was. It was curled into the shape of a question mark. Mother Nature's worst joke. Totally absorbed in work, Tsuikyu began taking pictures. Tons of pictures. Pictures of viruses, pictures of bloated cells, pictures of lysis, pictures of a microphage…

…What?

Tsuikyu hunched over and squinted his eyes. Yes, that was definitely a microphage. And it was definitely in the process of destroying an Ebola virus. This made no sense. Research done on Ebola implied that the immune system was usually unable to defend itself against the virus, especially this late after infection. But Tsuikyu could clearly see a single microphage – he made sure of the "single" – eating at the viruses. This was certainly food for thought. How was this happening? And why just a single microphage?

Tsuikyu focused in on the lone microphage. It seemed normal, appropriate body structure, color, action, it made sense – except that the immune system defense was usually futile and that there was only one microphage. There should be millions, geared for fighting. Why this lone cell?

Tsuikyu snapped a shot of this lone cell. As the screen blinked, he thought he'd seen something else. Confused, he looked into the viewing screen again. Wait a sec, there was something flashing in the middle of the cell body…but that made no sense…

And then he would have sworn that the cell _moved_. It seemed to wiggle, or it got bigger, or perhaps it moved a micrometer, or something. Tsuikyu made sure he hadn't jiggled the microscope. Nope, it was steady. But then how…?

Then he would have sworn that the _virus glowed._. Was there something wrong with his eyes? Perhaps he needed more sleep; interns were famous for not getting sleep…

Tsuikyu's body would be found three hours later, face frozen in shock, with test tubes shattered and his hands covering his eyes. He was pronounced dead on the spot. Cause of death: Act of God.

**x x x x x**

Project Death: Coming soon to a body near you.

Rating: Lethal.

Not Previewed.

Tick. Tock. Tick…

* * *

**Footnotes:**

2500 yen – around $22 US dollars; 35 UK pounds; 23 euros; or 14 Australian dollars. See all the math I do for you guys? But math in money is not my forte… Exchange rates taken from Encarta 2002. Oh yes, I don't know what timeframe Japan uses, the 24 hr shifts (aka army time) or the 12 hr shifts. I'm guessing 12 hr shifts.

Seto's headdress – um okay, basically from what I've seen, Seto wears something that looks a lot like the Blue Crown, which was…gah…big, blue, curved, and helmety? Um, remember the anime episode The Past is Prologue, number 52? Past Kaiba wearing purple hat? You get the idea… I stink at describing fashion… The Pharaoh generally wore the Blue Crown when he went into battle.

On those important ceremonies – The Pharaoh, being the god-on-earth, had to do basically everything to make sure the world didn't collapse because the gods were displeased. As such, the Pharaoh had to do a lot of ceremonies to please the gods.

Egyptian swords – During the 18th dynasty (the time when Yami reigned) Egyptian swords were typically curved, used for slashing rather than stabbing. Yami's sword is based on the typical European hand-and-a-half sword, because that makes him unique.

Jonouchi/Honda Aka Joey/Tristan. Yes, yes, yes I _know_ they're not in the memories in the memory arc in the manga! And yes, other non-canon people will appear. This is fanfiction, therefore I can tweak things, yes? The timeline of this memory is a clue as to why I'm being a bit off canon though… (_winkwink_) And note that Honda is already dead…

Red moon – what they're seeing is a full lunar eclipse. It's red because the earth's atmosphere filters out the blue rays that the moon usually reflects. Omens…I couldn't find info about; this is made up but very probable, considering Egyptians have a thing about destiny…

Biology stuff – Ooo … but, woot! Biology! (_sweatdrop_) Had to have some somewhere, I love this stuff! Will explain basics. Pleomorphic, able to exist in many shapes. Nucleoprotein and glycoprotein, basic proteins of viruses. Polypeptides, string of amino acids, the basic building blocks of the world. Polymerase, enzyme to reconstruct RNA. mRNA, one half of RNA. See, basically Ebola works like this: vRNA (viral RNA) from the Ebola virus is injected into the cell; this turns into mRNA, which uses the polymerase to create RNA, which then multiplies into gazillions of vRNA, which then are surrounded by a protein shell (lipoprotein). Funfun, yes? Capsids, kinda like a holding place for more genetic info. See, you can have genetic info in the nucleus (DNA and all that) or a capsid. Now, wasn't that educational?

Lysis - aka cells blowing up and spewing out their contents, including the mass-produced viruses inside.

(9) Egyptian:   
Amenti - region of the dead;  
Black Land - what Egypt called itself, or more specially, the area around the Nile where the river dumped off the nutrient silt;  
Wahankh - Egyptian for "Strong in Life"

(10) The song excerpt is called "Missing Person" by Michael W. Smith, which I don't own. (_sobs_) That's such a cool song, but I couldn't fit it all in! Oh well, _Lethally Hot_ isn't exactly a song-fic… (Song has been removed. Go to mediaminer to read.)

**Author's End Notes:**

(Altered) Man, if only the Internet allowed me to send guys _real_ stuff instead of digital cookies. -hands out digi-cookies- Thank you to all who reviewed! Seriously! Thank you awards to: **Amiasha Ruri, Ente, dark angel5221, DarkChao1663, High Crystal Guardian, hobbit13, Jennilyn Maxwell, Lome Roquen, Mugendai, Saiyan Jedi, shadow/phantomness, Shibby-One, shitsumon**,** Silver Dragon, Iron Claws**,**Sorceress Vanessa, Syra Lebru, takura, Towairaito Zoon, yami blue eyes white dragon, **and** Yugiohchix2008.** (Review replies have been moved to my website.) 

LoneWolf: WAHOO! (_runs around_) _Lethally Hot_ Rules! (_pumps fist_) All Hail the Ravager!

Djani: ...Well, you're…finally done with this chapter. After two months. At least you can estimate well.

Yami: Ra, oh please. She's been keeping me in La-La land for two months. I almost look forward to Death. Anubis is kinda angry that I've been dodging Death one too many times…

LoneWolf: But the Ravager is so much fun! Just you wait; I've got lots planned!

Yami: Oh joy and bliss.

LoneWolf: (_rubs hands_) Alrighty then, let's lookie at the agenda…aha! (_waves paper_) Readers, check this out! _Real_ Ebola plushies! (_waves plushie_) Only $5.95 US dollars! Mwhee, so cute!

Everyone: O_O

LoneWolf: Go to www . giantmicrobes . com / calamities / ebola . html (remove spaces.) Brought to you by **Syra Lebru**! (_looks at paper_) Ah yes. I know I'm not one of those people who update regularly or frequently. (_sweatdrop_) For those who keep wondering just how long I'm taking, I'm going to put a little "update" section in my bio. I'll say how many sections I've gotten through of this fic. (Sections are like memory-section, searching-section, doctor-section…) Generally there's about eleven or so sections per chapter. A lot…

(_checks off list_) Alrighty then, that's about it. Next chapter everything turns upside-down, Bakura gets an eyeload, Pharaoh Yami drains himself, some people die, I believe there's gonna be some ER action, and Yugi reaches out. Funfunfun!

Yami: -.- I worry about your sanity.

LoneWolf: Sanity? What sanity? (_shrugs_) Oh well then. (_waves_) Hope you enjoyed this long chappie! Lots of goodies, I hope! Please review, it makes me smile! (Along with bounce, skip and run…) The Ravager is getting impatient! (Raaaar! XD) Ja ne!


	11. Reveal the Sixth of Healing

Disclaimer: LoneWolf does not own YGO, Ebola, or a bloodthirsty nature  
Note: As of 4/29/05 this fanfic was overhauled majorly. Original format on mediaminer. Quotes have been removed. Stetter, Cornelius. The Secret Medicine of the Pharaohs: Ancient Egyptian Healing. Carol Stream, IL: Edition Q, 1993.  
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.  
_Former_ quotes have been replaced with italized, impersonal, my version of their outlook. Usually biology related. My writing, no shutting down of my account. Comprende?

LoneWolf: But I do own an Ebola plushie! (_waves plushie_) Meet Ravie!

Everyone: …

LoneWolf: -.-;;;; Alrighty then, onto the chappie… Again, //…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami; Long chapter again; 31 pages.

* * *

_...Hands of healing..._

__

Chapter Eleven: Reveal the Sixth of Healing

There were still emergency cases coming to the ER. Even though the initial chaos from the nine o' clock news was (fairly) over now, chaos from the "normal" sources of heart attacks, gang fights, and car crashes still went on. Ah, if only people could save emergencies for later. Then the world would be a much better place. Or at least it'd help the ER staff. Or at least they'd save money because the ER staff wouldn't need to drink so much coffee. (Save that tax money!)

"I've got a LOL with road rash and a broken leg, shock, elevated blood pressure!"

"Ooh, look at what we have here! Crispy critter from same accident!"

"This man's FOS!… _Shoot!_ Code Brown! Code Brown!"

"Sir, we've got a GSW; need your expertise here!"

Dr. Seimei, cardiologist consultant, rushed into the emergency room, racing to stabilize the patient enough to get him to the operating room. Dang, this guy had it all. Crash and burn, gunshot wound in the chest, can't he ever get a _break_?

He slid on a pair of gloves. Egads, this guy had a lot of blood, didn't he_? This is going to be a pain to clean,_ Dr. Seimei vaguely noticed, _his blood is splattering everywhere_.

Nurse Kusuri rattled off the statistics. "Shot with a .38, BP 80 over 40, neck veins distended, heart sounds inaudible. Believed to have a bullet lodged between his sternum and his heart."

He winced. "Kuso."

Dr. Seimei managed to hold Death off long enough to get the man to the operating room. Thankfully, that was not his job. He relaxed slightly as he took off his gloves, running his hands through his hair in an attempt to get it into some order.

"Well, Seimei my man, you beat Death again this time." Dr. Keni laughed good naturally as he pulled off dirty gloves and began putting on new ones. Dr. Keni was the chief ER physician, well trained and a veteran of the hospital. He was in his forties, dark brown hair just beginning to fade, with cool, steel-gray eyes, with the air of a man who deals with facts only. "So, how are the zebra cases coming along?"

Dr. Seimei sighed. "Badly, what else?" He rummaged through his coat and pulled out some black and white photographs. He cast them on a nearby gurney and motioned for Dr. Keni to look at them. "Here, take a look at these. They're the pictures that Tsuikyu took before he apparently died."

Dr. Keni squinted. "Well, seems like some fairly normal Ebola viruses to me…whoa! Check that out! It's a microphage!"

"Exactly. A single microphage actively consuming Ebola viruses." Dr. Seimei nodded. "And look at this…" Dr. Seimei pointed a finger towards the center of the cell body. "…there's some sort of abnormality here. Some sort of luminous spot." Dr. Seimei raised an eyebrow. "And on the Ebola particles themselves, there is a slight difference in the lipoprotein – see, the spikes are longer and more defined, and in general the virus particles are smaller. And some Ebola particles also have this strange luminous quality…see, here, here, and here."

Dr. Keni shook his head. "Seimei, you're the zebra case consultant, I'm the ER chief. I don't remember this biology stuff. Just say it, blunt and simple."

Dr. Seimei twitched. "I am _not_ the zebra case consultant." He glared at Dr. Keni, who was smirking. "Alright, I'll be blunt. I believe that this virus could easily become airborne due to the lighter size and longer hairs, and as thus it may be a bioweapon. There may or may not be a magical phenomena revolving around Tsuikyu and the zombie cases, possibly linked to this testing of a bioweapon. Someone may be making sure that this virus will work without inspection."

Dr. Keni whistled. "Assuming a great deal, are we, Seimei?" He paused, and then cautiously asked, "What _did_ happen to Tsuikyu? Did you find anything out?"

Dr. Seimei bit the inside of his lip and looked around. Everyone was busy. "Actually, the coroner found this actually…burned on Tsuikyu's body." He pulled out a piece of paper from his wallet. "It seems to be few symbols, along with Egyptian hieroglyphs, or something like it."

"What?" Keni snatched the paper and peered at it. Sure enough, there was a row of hieroglyphs, but below it was a bunch of symbols he'd never seen before. "Definitely Egyptian. After all of those Egyptian exhibits at the Domino Museum, Egyptian hieroglyphs are kind of hard to forge."

"Do you know what they mean?"

"This?" Dr. Keni snorted. "Of course not. Besides, this stuff on the bottom is not hieroglyphs either." He pursed his lips. "You know, perhaps we should send this to Ishizu. The one who came to Domino recently. Open-minded and not averse to helping us."

Dr. Seimei raised an eyebrow. "How would you know this? You have contact with her?"

"I'll give this to her tonight. Perhaps she can tell us what it means." Dr. Keni stuffed the paper into his pockets, and then blinked at Seimei's question. "Ah…I have her phone number."

Dr. Seimei's eyebrow raised even higher. "I'm not asking _why_." He grinned though, to see Keni blush.

Dr. Keni coughed and changed the subject. "So, um, how's the boy?"

Dr. Seimei shrugged, mused for a bit and then said, "I'd give the boy ten percent chances. He's beginning to lose his mind."

Dr. Keni attempted to release the tension and pulled out his wallet. "You know, I think I'll put down ten yen that he'll pull a 21."

There was deadpan seriousness in Seimei's eyes as he took out ten yen as well. "Matching yours, on surviving it."

The nearby assistants and medical students jumped in as well. Hey, they need a little fun once in a while.

"I'll put five yen on a 21!"

"No way, he's not gonna do that! Seven yen on making it!"

"…And I'll put down a hundred yen that the Administration would definitely not approve of gambling on a patient's life."

All eyes turned towards nurse Kusuri, who had one hand on her hip. "Aren't we supposed to be working to _save_ lives, not bet on lost ones?"

Everyone sheepishly said no, and gingerly took their money back. Seimei rubbed the back of his neck. "Aww Akiko, it was just a joke."

A faint grin came across nurse Kusuri's face as she shook a finger in front of Seimei. "I know. But let's not get too foolish in here. We _are_ supposed to be working."

Dr. Seimei laughed. "Right on." He glanced at his watch. "Oh, shoot. Back on shift." Seimei shook his head as he left the ER. "And I still have to deal with those zebra cases…Kami-sama, I swear that the fates conspire to always give me the zebra cases…"

**x x x x x**

The group found themselves in the same position they had begun in – sprawled all over each other in one big mess. Poor Ryou happened to be on the bottom, and in general everyone else was either cutting off circulation to various parts of Ryou's body or getting their own circulation cut off. The lucky person on top happened to be Yugi.

"Ow…"

This summarizes the entire group's feelings.

After much groaning, rubbing, and cursing in various languages everyone righted themselves, or at least enough to not be on top of each other. They all lay on the cool stone floor, processing the latest memory. Although they hadn't seen, well, the past selves of apparently Joey and Tristan, this _was_ Yami's memory. Vaguely they understood who "Honda" and "Jonouchi" were and what "they" looked like, and it all added up to either strange delusions (Kaiba) or more reincarnations or other such things (everyone else).

And basically, the last memory had blood, this memory had "off-stage" blood, and now they had the foreshadowing of more blood. Great material to ponder on.

"I died." Tristan said in the silence. It's a funny feeling, to know that in the past, you _died_…

"Oh yeah? I'm _gonna_ die." Joey stared at the hole in the ceiling.

Kaiba couldn't help remarking on this logic statement. "And that would be an improvement for you…how, Wheeler?"

"What?"

Tristan sat up and rubbed his neck. "Yeah, well, at least Joey has a chance." His voice hardened. "I died at the hands of a thief."

All eyes turned towards Ryou, who had his eyes closed. He was sitting against the wall, his head wearily resting on his shoulder. Ryou didn't notice the eyes on his thin body, but his whispered question spoke for them all.

"…Why? Why did you?"

The tarnished Ring on the center of Ryou's chest flared. Tristan hissed as Bakura took over to speak for himself.

Bakura spat on the floor. "Pah. Stupid mortals and their morals. Why not? It's quite fun you know. Death is merely a method to my means, and their death the best for my plans." He licked his forefinger, as if he could taste blood on it. Perhaps in remembrance. "Besides, they were convenient, on hand, and amusing to boot. I never miss an opportunity like that."

Tristan glared at Bakura. "Twisted murderer." He clenched his fist, and it visibly trembled.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Bakura, faintly amused. "How did you escape anyway?"

Bakura laughed. "I, escape? I am the King of Thieves, the Touzoku-ou. Do you really think a mere prison cell can hold me?" He smirked. "Pity you cannot remember, priest."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "I am no priest."

Bakura flicked a finger. "Believe what you want, O Ye of Little Faith. Simply because you choose not to believe does not change the fact."

The Ring flashed again, and Ryou regained control. Shakily, he pushed his bangs out of the way. Ryou muttered, "Seems like he's being a bit more vocal these days. Strange."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "How many times must I hear someone refer to the concept that I am a priest? It is getting to be quite tiresome."

Shadi shrugged. "Until you do not need reminding."

Silence.

Yugi clenched his hands around the Puzzle until his knuckles were white. He needed the physical contact, the knowledge that it was still there to convince him that Yami was still…alive. Yugi closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to feel if Yami was doing any better.

–_falling_ in darkness, cannot find a way, who? Who is there? Where is here? Do not understand…all black and swirling…where is the light? All cold and unseeing, no no please, my _light_–

Yugi gasped, lungs heaving from pulling away from a mind slowly falling apart. Yami wasn't doing any better; he was doing much, much worse. Yugi gritted his teeth. They needed more _time_, time to find the remaining pieces, time to find the right path – if only there was a way to stop time!

Shuddering, he could feel the waves of…deterioration…through their shaky bond. Like there were little pieces and fragments coming off and floating away. From what, Yugi didn't know– and did not want to know.

"Ah, are we going then?" Tea said.

Mumbled assent. (Joey: "Yeah, we're ready…" -trip-)

"So, now what?" Tristan looked around. "Tea, are you going to 'lead' us again?"

Tea put a finger to her chin and thought. "No, I don't think so. I mean, I don't think I can." She tried to explain. "I can't _feel_ it."

Guys do not get it. "Ummm….."

Tea shook her head. "Look, the last time we tried using 'women's intuition.' And it worked. Kind of." She pursed her lips, frowning. "But now, I can't feel it, the next door. I think intuition will only work for one door. You know, Fate, Lady Luck, and all that."

Joey's eyes lifted up at that. "Hey, that's it!" He pumped his fist in the air. "We'll ask good ol' Lady Luck to give us a hand!"

"Whaaa?"

Joey grinned. "Trust to luck to find the door! Flip a coin or somethin' at each passage." Joey thought about that. "Naah, that'll take too long. How about we just run down this here hallway and then randomly turn when we get to a crossing point?"

Tristan shook his head. "Luck. You _would_ think that, Joey."

Kaiba frowned and crossed his arms. "Isn't that what we were 'using' beforehand?"

"Naaw, see Kaiba, those times we were _searchin'_. We were lookin' for the door, picking out ways to go, splitting up the group. This time, we're just gonna run, and trust to luck, and the door'll just pop up in front of us!"

Yugi smiled wryly. Trust to luck. A true Joey idea. How many times had Joey played a card that involved chance? A lot…

Ryou shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. "It might work. After all, what else do we have?"

"So Joey, how about you going first?" Yugi winked. "You're the one that has the most 'experience' with Lady Luck."

Joey grinned and raised his fist. "Yeah! Let's go!"

And with that, he was off and running. Off on a quest, or something like it, except the "questers" had absolutely no clue where they were going and were following someone who turned on a whim. Highly scientific.

Yugi panted, little legs churning. "Joey! Slow down!"

"Oops. Sorry Yuge."

Ryou grinned, easily loping next to Yugi. "What, can't keep up?"

Yugi didn't respond, because quite frankly he was running like the living dead.

More running. More almost crashing.

Joey cheered. "Whoo! Finally we're _movin'!_"

"Joey, if you keep that up I'm going to slap you," Tea muttered.

"Good exercise, though." Shadi pointed out, running with a nice, easy gait.

Everyone stared at Shadi at that. While running, of course. Whee, what a breeze they were making! Run, run, run…so much fun to run…

Things somewhat fell into a pace. Joey in front, who never seemed to tire. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying this. Tristan slightly behind, watching things go by in way too many directions. Kaiba and Shadi next, their long legs giving them an advantage (although Shadi seemed to float, due to his clothes). Tea keeping up after that, and she was blessing her experience as a cheerleader, when they would run laps for hours on end. And then poor Yugi, manfully trying to keep up. He was vowing to participate more in gym class with every step. Yugi felt as if his legs were divorced from feeling, and perhaps that was a good thing, because he had enough trouble breathing.

Surprisingly, Ryou was doing pretty well. He was off to the side near Yugi, occasionally encouraging Yugi from time to time. Ryou actually liked running; it seemed to free his mind somehow, as if he could escape.

//Ah, little yadonushi, you can never escape it all.//

/But you did./

//Oh, _you_ would like to know?// Bakura grinned. //That can be easily done…//

Ryou winced and tensed. _Now_ he was in for it–

Flash!–_ Slammed into the cavern dungeon. Perfect. A private, lone cell. Just as I planned–_

Flash!–_ Should be around here, tunnel comes down this way, hah! If only the Pharaoh knew who was using going to use this tunnel–_

Flash!–_ Jam the knife here, there we go! Now push, and wedge in the blade in that crack, there! The floor is moving–_

Ryou gasped and stumbled, clutching his head. Distantly he heard footsteps behind him. Ryou gritted his teeth and took another step, hoping it was over. But his mind was no longer his own–

Flash!–_ Now carve the mark, carve them all–_

Flash!–_ The Eye, the Mark, and the Snake–_

Flash!–_ And let the magic be unleashed, the darkness fall, and the blood pour out–_

Flash!– 

"By the blood I sacrifice, by the pain I promise,  
May Ra turn from you, may Osiris curse you,  
Strike the King, my curse upon his head,  
Nen renet emem ahnkhoo..."

It was not over yet. Bakura decided to "remind" his vessel that he was the Master with a little "extra."

Flash!–_ Ah, it's a lovely night. Nice moon; good omen for my kind. Oh, how nice, company. Company that I happen to despise–_

Flash!–_ As if I will stop for you, chsm. No, you come to me, my little prey–_

Flash!–_ Flick! There. All is set. Hm, that was interesting, he actually blubbered to death. The other one can spread–_

Ryou fell to one knee, heaving, his right hand covering his eyes. No. No. They had had no chance–

Bakura lightly (in relative terms by Ryou) whapped Ryou though their "bond." //Remember ahou, _I_ am the superior one. I get. I hold. I say. You do.//

/… Yes, master./

//And never forget that, vessel.// Bakura smirked. //I have plenty more memories to…entertain you, if you ever forget.//

Ryou shuddered. A hand touched Ryou's shoulder. "Ryou? Are you okay?"

Ryou jumped a little, and looked over to see Yugi panting in exhaustion. And yet he was still worried for someone other than himself. Ryou shook his head. "It was nothing. Just, ah, tired." He pushed himself off the ground and began jogging again.

Yugi ran to keep up. "Yes it was something. I saw you almost fall. Is the spirit up again?"

"He is always 'up.' " Ryou elaborated. "He showed me how he had escaped. Through a hidden tunnel. And how he killed the two guards." There was no emotion in his voice, and no feeling in his eyes as he stared straight ahead at the group in front of him.

"Oh."

"He likes," Ryou said bitterly, "to remind me of that characteristic of his."

Silence. Nothing more than running and following. Away they did go, running and running, to where nobody knows!

Joey was feeling pretty good. Ah, it felt nice to stretch his legs! Feeling the ground beneath his feet, feeling the air whisking behind him, feeling all the pressures of the race just fall away…

And then, quite literally, he felt nothing at all. Joey blinked, and looked down.

"YAAAAHHHH!"

One second, Tristan was mind-numbingly staring at the back of Joey's T-shirt. The next, Joey was flailing his arms, teetering over a surprise edge.

And as Tristan was pretty much brain-dead with all the running, wasn't quite paying attention in the first place, and had a lot momentum, Tristan crashed into Joey, and they toppled over the edge.

"YAAAAHHHHH!"

…

Blink.

"Hey."

"We're not falling."

"Weird."

Joey and Tristan stared at each other, and then at their feet. Yes, they were quite solidly on the floor. They looked up. No, wall. Floor. Wall. Floor.

Kaiba peered over the edge, expecting two sprawled bodies on the ground. What he saw were two stunned teenagers clutching each other and staring at their feet. Oh, and they were standing horizontally.

"What in the world…"

Tea caught up, panting. "Have- we- found- it?" She paused, and took a deep breath. Then she noticed that Joey's loud voice wasn't around. "Where's Joey? And Tristan?"

Shadi walked over to the edge, next to Kaiba. He looked significantly down, and raised an eyebrow at Tea. "It appears that they have 'fallen' over the edge."

"What?" Tea ran (slowly) over to see for herself. She saw a very deep edge, a lot of blackness, a bunch of doors in the distance, and two guys hastily shoving each other's arms off a few meters down.

"However," Shadi hastily assured, "they are quite safe and sound. They appear to be standing."

Joey turned his neck around to see Tea's confused face. "Hey, Tea." He waved.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Ryou questioned, walking over to the group on "top."

Kaiba shook his head. "It appears that the laws of physics do not apply in this place."

Yugi crawled over to the edge to see. "Huh?"

"Well," Kaiba drawled, "while the force of gravity works 'downward' for us here, it appears that gravity works _horizontally_ there, pulling them towards the wall. Except that what is wall to us is floor to them."

"This place is weird…" Tristan whined.

Yugi shrugged. "It's a soulroom. And with Yami…" he tapped a finger on his jaw. "How did I once describe it to him? Ah. 'Your Impossibly Confusing, Physics Defying, Logic Screwing, Trap-filled Giant Maze Room Thing.' "

Tentative laughs. Soul rooms aren't exactly a laughing matter…

"So…if it's just a screwed up gravity thingy, they can just come back up, right?" Tea concluded.

Tristan nodded, although both his and Joey's were still facing "downwards." They weren't going to turn around, not when their back would be facing something far, far down…

"Hey!" Joey exclaimed. "I see something!"

"Huh?"

Joey grabbed Tristan's head and pointed in front of them. "See? There? Do you see what I see?"

"I'm not seein' anything, man." Tristan pushed on Joey's arm.

Joey whacked Tristan's head. "Numskull. Right _there!_ See? It's the sixth door!"

"You mean the sixth door is down there?" Ryou said incredulously.

"Yeah! I see it! It's got the Scales!" Joey grinned and slugged Tristan. "_Told_ you luck would do it!" Joey waved. "So just come on down!"

"We just…walk off?" Tea frowned.

Yugi shrugged. "How else?" Yugi tapped his jaw with a finger. "Come to think of it, I often see Yami seemingly walk upside down. I guess he does this a lot. Huh. Here, I'll go first."

And with that, he walked over to the edge, and stepped off.

Tea bit back a scream.

Yugi gave a thumbs up. "Nothing to it." He winked. "Just do it, it makes it a lot easier if you don't think about it."

Joey and Tristan moved forward a few more spaces, to make more room. Yugi walked down further. "Come on!"

Tea looked behind her, and saw everyone else staring at her. Well, she was the closest… Taking a deep breath, Tea stood up and touched her foot on the nearest spot, bending her foot in a peculiar angle. The wall/floor didn't fall apart, didn't seem slippery, and it seemed solid. Swallowing, Tea shifted her weight over the edge and placed her other foot over the edge. She was now officially on the edge. And standing horizontally. There wasn't even a jolt or anything to signify the total weirdness of it all.

Tea took a few steps. Gravity did seem to be working right…in that she wasn't falling to a pulp. And although she was sideways, it didn't _feel_ sideways.

"Okay, this is really, really, really unnerving…" Tea muttered.

Well, there was nothing left for the three guys on top but to go over. Muttering stuff about Escher, messed up minds, and the need for _logic_, Kaiba went over first. Ryou then went second, and for a moment considered crawling. That was before Bakura began a tirade and Ryou remembered that it wasn't that much different from his own soulroom, anyway…just a bit …steeper…and complicated. Shadi finished the train of the horizontal travelers.

Once they had gotten sufficiently far enough away from their "higher" starting point, they got used to it. Everything felt normal, even if their minds were screaming, _You're gonna fall!_ After a while, it felt as if what they were walking on was the right way, and any other way was wrong. There were still hallways and passageways all over the place, although the door was just straight ahead. Even if some doors were kind of part of the ceiling, it was normal. Just one more check for wacko designing.

Joey trotted forward. "There it is! The door of the Scale!"

Everyone walked over. Sure enough, it was the door they were seeking, the symbol of the Scale embossed into the heavy iron door. And sure enough, it was locked.

Kaiba half-heartedly tried the door handle. Nope. "Locked. Again."

"Well, if it's locked, there's gotta be one of those lines, right?" Joey pointed out. "To give us a clue?"

Kaiba waved at the door. "Alright then, search to your heart's content."

Joey bounced over, and stared. Iron, smooth stuff, funky markings, funky markings, more funky markings (when would they ever know what they'd say?), funky mark, squiggly line, Eye thingy…huh…up a bit…

"Hey!" Joey pointed a finger to the upper right-hand corner of the door. "I think that's it!"

"That was fast," Tristan remarked.

Joey squinted his eyes and read aloud, _Those who knock, open._

"Aww, that's just too easy!" Joey complained. "All we gotta do is knock!" And with that, he banged on the door. "Hey! Door of the Scale! Open up!"

Nothing. Well, maybe a bit of rumbling, but the door stayed shut.

"Um…maybe if you were more polite?" Yugi said.

Joey drooped a little. "Oops." Clearing his throat and knocking lightly on the door this time, he repeated, "_Please_ open, Door of the Scale, with cherry on top?"

The door seemed to squeak its amusement as it opened. Before the memory opened and the tale unfolded again, Kaiba muttered, "Yea. Storytime." And then it was off to the burning sands of ancient Egypt…

**O O**

We raced our horses down the last few streets, running beneath an omen so heavy and dark it seemed as if it were all over already.

As we neared Jonouchi's home, I could also hear Seto whispering behind me. "Oh no…not the sign…"

To my despair, I could see the mark of warning on Jonouchi's doorway. The sign of the sparrow. _Mer_. Sickness.

Stay Out.

"Oh Osiris, do not take him yet…" I prayed fervently. "Let him still be in the realm of the living…let his judgement be stayed, your hand of justice be generous…"

Seto practically leapt off his horse's back and slammed the door open with his staff.

"Open in the name of the Pharaoh!"

Eerie silence.

The door creaked, bending from the blow Seto had given it. There was only the wind and the wails from outside. No servants, no sounds of birds fluttering about, not even the pet monkey chittering at the stranger's arrival. Nothing. Not even Jonouchi's loud voice in complaint. That in itself was eerie.

"Where is everyone?" Mahado wondered. "Have they all just…disappeared?"

Akunadin raised an eyebrow. "I take it that this is unusual?"

I frowned. "Very unusual." I dismounted, and led Wahankh into the inner courtyard. The rest of my priests followed. The horses' hooves echoed in the stillness. The ovens were cold and there were half-done mud bricks lying about. It was as if this house was deserted. Wahankh whickered, nervous in the silence.

"Peace, Wahankh." I rubbed his forehead as I tied the reins to a sycamore tree in the corner of the courtyard. "There is no need to fear."

"Ya…mi? That…you?" A raspy voice called.

I yanked my head towards the sound. "Jonouchi!"

Seto's brows furrowed, calculating. "He's not where he usually is, from the sound of his voice." He turned his head, trying to pinpoint where Jonouchi must be.

I cupped the Puzzle, whispering a few words. A soft glow, and I could see Jonouchi lying on a cot, peering at a window. "He's in one of the other inner rooms." Then the view widened, and I inhaled sharply. "…along with a body."

Mahado's eyes widened. "What?"

Isis touched the eye of the Necklace. "I foresee death…"

"Yeah, well if we keep standing here wondering about it, it'll probably happen!" Seto jabbed the Rod towards a door to our right. "He must be in there."

And then my priests noticed that they were talking amongst themselves, because I had already left them for Jonouchi. I could hear them running after me, Seto cursing the loudest.

"Yami! You could have waited!"

"What, and lose more time to Anubis?"

They were now close enough that I could hear Akunadin mutter, "Youngsters today."

We came to our destination soon enough, the Puzzle glowing in the darkness. Taking a deep breath, and nodding to my priests as they took their proper position, I opened the door.

Jonouchi was stretched out on a stuffed straw bed, weakly waving a hand in welcome. His right arm was crudely bandaged with a strip of linen.

Slumped over his legs on the edge of the bed was the body.

And in horror I recognized it.

"_No_. This cannot be true." I clenched my fists and turned from the empty shell. "Gods, this is too horrible. Don't do this to me."

Seto shook his head and sighed. "Ah, why did it have to be Anzu?"

Anzu, old friend. I had known her for years, ever since Seto and I began our late-night excursions. She had been a dancer; always listening to music – all kinds – and trying out new steps from the traders that came by. Now she'd never move again, never tap out a new rhythm, never thwap Seto and I, never know the truth…

She was lying over Jonouchi's bed in a posture of protection, her hands outstretched as if in prayer. Her face was streaked with tears. There was no mark on her, nothing that told us what had killed her.

Jonouchi coughed, and struggled to sit up to speak better. "Cursed…assassin…"

"What?" Mahado whirled his head around. "Anzu was assassinated?"

Jonouchi's eyes went blank. "Anzu had seen the mark outside…she came in anyway…

"Then _they_ came in here…they were all clothed in black, with masks…and all with some mark on their arm…a long, twisted one…

"One of them said something, I don't know…something in a different language, I think…and Anzu just– sighed, and _died_…

"I think they were going to get me too, but one said that I was good as dead anyway, and that they had accomplished everything already…" Jonouchi hissed. "And I could do _nothing_…" He gave up speaking more though, and simply concentrated at sitting, breathing heavily, blood slowly dripping out of his nose.

"Someone's coordinating this," Seto muttered. "They're attacking your friends. People who they know will affect you, Pharaoh."

"Who would dare act against you, Pharaoh?" Isis whispered, staring at the dead face. "And why?"

I closed my eyes and breathed. Outside, I could hear the wail of mourners, their cries echoing in heavy, dank air. I had thought times like these would be over; that I had finished my father's job. That the prophecy of peace would come true during my reign as foretold.

"Anzu, Anzu…" My voice cracked. "_Khohkh_…"

"What was that?" Seto said sharply. "What did you say?"

"That is irrelevant." Shadi said, and grabbed my shoulders. "Pharaoh, enough. What concerns us now is the one we came here for."

I opened my eyes, startled out of my reverie. "Gods–" There were _other_ casualties in this tragedy–

I turned to see Jonouchi faintly smiling, and then give a loud, hacking cough. He shuddered and collapsed back onto the bed.

"Jonouchi!" I grabbed his unbandaged arm. A weak pulse. "You're not giving up now!"

Jonouchi coughed again. "Not– intending– to…"

Isis swiftly reached out and touched his brow. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. "Sleep," she commanded. He fell back and the tension went out of his body. Isis turned to me. "We must act now. Whatever you planned to do, Pharaoh, do it now!"

I nodded. "Link together!"

The Millenium Items flared, and our magics merged into one. I opened my eyes to see everything washed in a pale golden sheen, the magical energies that flowed around our auras of protection. This was the overworld of energy, a world overlaying the "real" world and a part of it, much like the famed "Shadow Realm." Linked this way, it would be easier to manipulate magical energies.

I raised a fist, sheathed in magical fire. _:Here we go. May Ra protect us and Horus guide us.:_

:Amen,: my priests echoed.

And with that, we merged our spirits into Jonouchi's body, seeking the enemy. We sunk deeper, past a crackling, breaking layer of skin, past a layer of muscle and bone that rippled and sparked with pain, down to the layer of enemy. Unlike last time, when we became part of the body's minuscule physical world and existed at their level, we "floated" over one of many battlefields and observed the carnage below us.

The battle was already in the favor of the Ravager. Thousands of them, twisted things, attacking, eating, multiplying, completely ignoring the weakened defense.

In this state, linked to the magical energies of this world, the Ravager had a new appearance. They manifested into the likeness of the cobra, with eyes and scales as black as Seth, scales rippling and convulsing. Some even had the wings of dragons from legend. Their mouths gaped open to reveal long, curved fangs, screaming in silent defiance.

And even though this beast was purely and wholly evil, it was beautiful in its own twisted way. Their scales shone with black fire, and they moved with deadly elegance. The melding of its lust for blood and its ice-cold hate was wondrous in its sheer ingenuity.

__

They were the face of Nature itself, the obscene goddess revealed naked. This life form thing was breathtakingly beautiful.

:Osiris, Isis, and Horus.: Seto swore softly. _:Such power…:_

:Power gained through stolen blood: Isis said acidly. :_Or do you wish to harness this power as well, Seto:_

Seto glared at her, or more specifically, her green aura. _:Of course not. I was merely commenting on its flawless design.:_

:And so we aim to create a flawless defense to counteract that.: I turned my awareness to face my priests.

__

:We are the Seven. Below us struggle the seven defenders. Each of you, take one, and transform them into a being that can overcome our foe. Give them a part of your essence, your power, so that they can truly become a army of defense.: I raised my right hand. _:I myself shall lead the war with the Commanders. What say you:_

Shadi bowed his head. _:Pharaoh, if you will allow, I will take the Small Eaters.:_

Isis stepped forward. _:If Shadi undertakes the Small Eaters, I shall take the Big Eaters. Our items work well together, and so do the main fighters of this army.:_

I nodded:Done, and done.:

__

:I offer to strengthen the Armmasters.: Karim fingered his Scale. :_I shall give them the Fire they need to arm and train the Little Ones to their utmost.:_

Mahado stepped forward. _:Then I shall guide the Little Ones.:_ He smiled. _:If Karim gives them Fire, I shall give them the Wind, and speed, to catch the Ravager.:_

:I shall counsel the Elders: Akunadin said. _:I have lived a long life, and I shall simply add to their wisdom.:_

I nodded again, and turned to Seto. He smirked.

__

:What, do you even need to ask: Seto twirled the Rod around his fingers. _:I ally myself with the Killers, beings of War. They will equal the Darkness in the Ravager when I'm through.:_

:Very apt: I agreed. _:To each their own. This is the best usage of our strengths. Shadi, find the main training ground for each group of the army.:_

Shadi cupped the Ankh in his hands, and whispered a few words. Seven balls of golden light no bigger than our hands flew out, circling us. Then they touched our heads in acknowledgement, one for each of us, and they chittered in the back of our minds.

__

:Followfollowfollow,: they said.

I flung out my hands. _:Go, and may the gods be with you.:_

The golden spheres flew off in every direction. My priests trailed after, separating their paths.

As for myself, my "guide" led me upward, to the command center. We "flew" past the heart and the lungs, already becoming a small battlefield of the war within. I could hear the magical cries of pain below, vibrating the lines of Power in our wake.

__

:Hurryhurry, bigpain quickquick needhelp realfast–: The ball of light urged, swinging around and even _pushing_ me along. _:Gogogo!:_

:Alright, alright.: I patted the being's head. This creation acts very much like Mahado's pet Kuriboh. So…hyperactive. _:Patience, little friend.:_

It "blinked." _:Patience? What that:_

Ehrm. _:…Never mind.:_

It "blinked" again, and flew upward a little. _:We therethere!:_ Then it made a half circle, and zoomed down, leaving a trail of light sparkles behind. It seemed to observe everything, flying about and lightly touching the white orbs, as if testing them. I followed behind, amused at the indignant appearance of the orbs after being "tested."

__

:Herehere! This one!: It bounced around a particular orb. _:Helphelp this one!:_

I descended, and held my hand out in greeting. _:Peace. I bring help.:_

Tcha. About time, the large orb said. The High Command said the Great Leader would come and help "soon." Blasted government stalling.

It –he– nodded, and pulled in his flanges, looking for all the world like a general receiving orders. What do you ask of us?

__

:All that you are, and more.:

He gruffly said, _Been_ doing that. Haven't done much good. My captains are going nuts. I've thrown everything we have against this enemy, and we're already losing.

I stretched out a hand, mage-fire dancing around. _:Ah, but I offer you what you need to fight the Ravager.:_ I stepped forward, and touched him in his center. _:You have done well by yourself, with only your resolve and instinct to guide you. I offer you this: Experience. With this, you will gain knowledge, hope, and the power to see beyond. Yet this will come at a price: the burden of Command. Do you accept:_

He ruffled around the edges. What am I to question my duty to protect?

I smiled. _:We are much alike, you and I, two beings duty bound to protect their own.:_ With the power of the Puzzle I created a link between myself and this general. _:Here, this I give you. Watch, and learn.:_

In a flash of a moment, I transferred all of my experience in the military and as Pharaoh to this one soldier. All that I had learned, of skill, of strategy, of tactics, poured into his collective knowledge. He learned the power of Truth and its double edge, the power of optimism and also of pessimism. He experienced, as I had experienced, the cutthroat politics in the palace, of how to maneuver and manipulate the unsuspecting, the ways of attaining and holding of power. And he saw, as I had seen, men that I was responsible for die in battle. For this was the price of command, the lesson of expediency: that what is ideal is not always the best, that as the commander he must see to the safety of those below him, and yet sacrifice those same soldiers to the lesser of two evils.

One last thing I gave him, the power of seeing beyond. I reached deeper, and showed him the web that ties us all together, a connection of life and Power. This, I told him, would give him a tactical advantage like none other. No longer would he have to wait for messengers and signals. He must only reach out and in, and grasp the lines of Power, to know where and what each and every soldier was doing. He could even communicate with them directly.

All of this knowledge and experience transferred into his being in one shattering blow, and for a brief moment he experienced sentience.

Then it was gone, but we could both see into the web, and observed the other six gaining in ability.

From Shadi, master of water– _:I give you resilience, the ability to change and flow in the barrage of the enemy.:_

From Isis, master of earth– _:I give you strength and endurance, to push onward in the face of adversity.:_

From Karim, master of fire– _:I give you skill, so that you may pass it on to others and that they too, will past the test of Fire.:_

From Mahado, master of wind– _:I give you the essence of the Wind itself, to fly above all others, able to capture anything.:_

From Akunadin, master of ice– _:I give you wisdom, and caution, so that those who listen will be the ones who remain.:_

From Seto, master of darkness– _:I give you cunning and Power itself, for with these you will be able to overcome any foe.:_

With a wrenching of effort I broke the connection.

The Commander backed off, shaking slightly. I see, and I understand.

I shook my head. _:Yes, this is the price of understanding.:_ I pushed him away further, urging, _:Now go. Hurry, for now you have a chance against the Ravager.:_

Yes–I thank you– And as he turned away and I pulled myself out of Jonouchi's body, I could see the mark of the Puzzle on his center.

Slowly we returned to our real bodies and relinquished our hold on Jonouchi's body. A few of us winced in pain (notably Akunadin) in being back in the "real" world.

Akunadin groaned. "This had better work, because I do not believe my joints are up to a second attempt."

I stared down at Jonouchi, who was sleeping peacefully. "Let us hope that indeed it was enough."

Seto's eyes widened. "Yami…what, no, why, is that thing still here?"

I looked up, confused, to see my "guide" still with me. The thing circled around my head a few times, and then pounced over to Jonouchi.

__

:Get better realquick now!: It bounced on top of Jonouchi's chest. _:We all helphelp!:_

I raised an eyebrow. "Apparently it came along with me." I looked around though, after all, Shadi had also created six other light-balls. "Although it appears that only my guide is present."

Shadi frowned. "They were to disappear after their task was complete."

Mahado shrugged. "It does not matter." He tilted his head. "In fact, it is somewhat –what is the term for it?– ah, 'cute.' "

And to that, the little light ball glowed in pleasure.

All eyebrows went up. Significant pause.

"Well Shadi, that must have been one par-_ti_-cular spell you set up," Seto remarked.

"Yes, well, the shaping of my spell has nothing to do with whether or not this cure for Jonouchi will work," Shadi said irritably.

Somewhat rebuked, Seto turned around and looked down at Jonouchi. "He seems to be doing fine."

Isis walked over and touched Jonouchi's forehead. "No apparent physical struggle."

I bit the inside of my lip. "That does not mean he does not struggle within. The Ravager had a head start, and the defense only newly made."

"You intend to balance them then?" Karim frowned. "That will drain a great deal of your strength, Pharaoh. You have only minimal abilities in Healing."

"I have enough," I said tersely, calling on the Puzzle again. Once again the Puzzle glowed with magic. "I will not break my promise a second time."

I sent strength into Jonouchi, pulling in magic and transmuting it into energy that Jonouchi could use. The little ball of light squeaked and then to my surprise, began giving energy to Jonouchi as well. Jonouchi was practically glowing in the sheer energies flowing through him. I could feel the Ravager resisting though, though it began to feel desperate…

Then the light-ball jerked up, pulsating. Fear radiated out of it.

__

:Upupup!: it squealed. _:FearenemyBADMAN!:_ Then with a burst of pure light, it shattered into pieces. Even more energy rushed into Jonouchi's body.

Jonouchi gasped loudly, and the glow around him visibly shook. Once. Twice. Screams ripped out of Jonouchi's throat, screams that came from the beast that possessed him within. I could see black magic streaming out of his body, exorcised by the influx of pure energy streaming through him. And then the shield around him broke, leaving him sitting upright, whole and healthy.

"I'm…healed?…" Then intelligence and urgency flooded into his eyes. And fear; terrible fear.

"Gods– Yami, _look out!_"

I jerked back in surprise, Jonouchi lunging off the bed and shoving me onto the floor. His right hand flickered out sideways, then snapped forward. A barked cry echoed in the room, followed by a choking gasp and the thud of a body hitting the ground. Then I heard I a low moan, and Jonouchi slowly collapsed over me.

Dead.

**O O**

__

In a place where the mortal eye cannot see, another cell stepped forward, the mark of the Scales prominently on its center. Unlike its counterpart, this one was quite solid and steady, ready for the harsh duty before it.

For this was its duty: that those it taught would not be killed or injured. In the real world, there would be no gentleness. Better to understand harshness here, and live, then softness, and die.

And that was the problem now – they were too soft. They were used to the easy-life style of before, when they were the big dogs among the small ones. So now, when the time came to show their mettle, they shriveled up and died.

The time had come for them to learn the pain of truth. It was time to push them beyond their limit, until they became what they were meant to be– warriors.

It moved outward, and began to ruthlessly press its trainees. This_ is what you must do, he told them, _this_ is how you must act, _this_ will be your enemy. This is what you'd better be ready to face when you pass through the test of Fire. For the time will come when you will be alone and there will be nothing between Death and yourself except your skill._

For it knew of what was to come. And they must all be prepared for war…

**O x x x x x O**

Bakura walked. And laughed. Walked, stuffed his hands his pockets, and laughed.

He liked the sound of his laughter. Echoing in the hallway, reverberating and increasing in wildness, heightening the lower sounds of hisses, clicks, and a peculiar rumbling…

Bakura had finally found It.

And to think it was so simple!

That, in itself, made Bakura laugh, with positive evil glee.

The Ravager laughed with him in its peculiar language of hisses and growls. It too, rejoiced in the finding of the thing that would make the Pharaoh fall. Finally, their long awaited revenge would be completed.

Revenge, after all, is a dish best eaten cold.

Bakura sauntered about, randomly opening doors and peeking around. After all, he had gotten what he wanted. Now it was time for some…fun.

Oh yes. This was the life. Walking about the Pharaoh's chambers, looking at whatever at will, breaking all rules, and messing anything and everything up. He drew graffiti on the old brick walls, kicked holes in the floor, and took great joy in triggering traps.

And all the while, he laughed.

"Where are you now, oh Great Pharaoh?" he mocked. "Lost in your own pathetic mind, trapped within your own traps, and falling prey to the thing you thought you had beaten so very long ago. You fool, don't you ever learn that the darkness cannot be stopped?"

Bakura laughed, and laughed, and laughed at this. He still laughed as he went back into the Ring, a high, wild laugh that spoke of a not quite stable mind.

**x x x x x**

Far off in a land isolated by nature, a man laughed along with him. Cloaked in black, as befitting his nature, he sat in the shadows and played with a little stiletto, running the sharp blade around and over his fingers.

His laugh was soft and low, almost crooning in delight.

Then suddenly, he stabbed the stiletto into the black ebony wood of his chair. The man snarled.

"Now we have It. Now we have the surety of success." He fingered the quivering hilt. "Now _this_ is the time, my pet, to show him your true power…"

**x x x x x**

Yugi drifted between consciousness and the memory-world. Vaguely he traveled along the line that would take him back into his own mind, but his grip was unsure. Slowly he slipped, and he was pulled onto a different path.

At first the pull was slight, but it became more and more urgent the closer Yugi got to it. Confused, Yugi emerged out of the tunnel and found himself floating over Yami. Yami was curled in around the hospital blankets, sleeping fitfully.

Yugi blinked. How'd this happen? Hesitantly, he touched Yami's brow, only to see his hand go right through Yami. Apparently Yugi was in a spirit form.

Yugi tried their link. /Mou hitori no boku?/

// ? … // Then blood-red eyes shot open, wild and dilated.

"See?"

Ohhh boy. Yugi thought furiously. That was Egyptian, he knew that much. Other than that he was clueless. He tried again.

/Yami? Yami! It's me!/

Yami turned, looking paranoid. There was a voice inside in his head. That was not good.

"Tjen ashu netek? _Netek see?_"

Shoot. _Man,_ Yugi thought, _I really need to learn Egyptian._ Yugi tried to mind-touch Yami again, this time sending images of himself down the link.

Yami blinked. It was the boy. The boy from the memories. The boy was speaking to him?

/Please, Yami! Don't you remember me?/

Yami cautiously spoke back. //…Who speaks?//

Yugi sweatdropped. Well, that was progress. /Yugi. Your aibou./ Yugi saw confusion go through his yami's eyes.

//…I- I don't…remember…you…//

Yugi reeled back. Didn't remember him? After all they'd been through? _How?_

//But I _know_ you…in dreams…//

Yugi whirled around. What!

Yami slowly stretched out a hand. //I can't see you…// His hand went through Yugi's incorporeal body. //…But I know you're here…with me…//

Tears began to well up in Yugi's eyes, even though as a spirit, he could not shed them like a mortal. He reached for Yami's own hand and tried to touch it. /I'm right here./

Yami dropped his hand. //I don't know you…but without you, I'd be falling down…// His eyes slowly closed, and he fell back down on the bed. //Falling…falling down…//

/No! Yami, _I'm right here._ I won't let you fall./ Yugi floated right in front of Yami's face, as if Yami could see him.

//Don't know who you are…// Yami mumbled, drifting back into sleep. //But I need you here with me…//

/Yes, I'm here. Till the end of all time, I will be here. Hold onto that, Yami. Remember that./

//…Holding on…//

Yugi smiled, and suddenly found words popping into his mind. It was the Japanese version of an Egyptian lullaby Yami had once sung to him. Slowly, Yugi lowered his head so that their foreheads touched, and repeated the words.

_/O Ra, you arise...  
/I will not let Seth harm you  
/I will not let the darkness take you  
_

Slowly Yugi was pulled back, back into his own mind. Yugi reached out with his hand and lightly brushed Yami's brow. Yugi continued to say the words of the song.

__

/My hand lies upon you,  
/My soul is your protection.  
/Ra arises.  
/See, I am here./

He looked down at Yami, who was now resting peacefully. /Don't worry, mou hitori no boku. I'm always here./

And as the image of Yami misted away, Yugi felt one last mind-touch.

//Don't know who you are…but I know you'll be back again…//

/I will, mou hitori no boku. I'll be back./

**x x x x x**

This time their positions were switched. It was Grandpa now watching worryingly over the hospital bed, and Yugi's mother who was actually in the hospital bed. All right, so the settings were a bit different – it wasn't a real hospital bed because Mary wasn't exactly in critical condition, so Mary was actually lying on a sofa with a spare oxygen mask over her mouth – but the conditions were the same.

All they could do was hope.

Solomon watched her breathing. In…out…good, she was relaxing…come to think of it, he was relaxing too…huh…in…out…

Mary blinked. Gasped.

"Ho there!" Solomon beamed. "You're awake!"

Mary looked down to see a mask covering her face. Uh… "Mmph."

Solomon stared at the mask too. "Um. Here. Let me try getting this off." He reached over and tugged at it. Hmmm. Very tight. He tugged harder, Mary trying as well.

Mary pulled backwards, Solomon pulled forwards, and whenever that happens in the cartoons, both parties fall over and the thing in question pops off into the air.

POP!

HIIIIIISSS!

Mary rubbed her face, trying to get that universal red mark off her face. She turned to see Solomon staring wide-eyed. "What's wrong?"

"Um…" Solomon pointed.

The oxygen mask, which was still attached to the oxygen tank via a nice, long tube, was now waving madly around in the air and hissing away. People were looking at them strangely.

"Uh oh."

"Um…how do you turn it off?"

Solomon got off the sofa and bent down, shielding with his hands so that the erroneous oxygen mask would not hit his face. "Ow! … Where's the off button when you need it? … Aha!" Solomon flipped a valve, and sighed as the hissing sound went away and the flying mask landed. "I think we'd better give this back."

Mary nodded, and helped Solomon pick it up. They both walked over to the ER doors and gave the stuff to the nurse, who dubiously looked at the mask. It looked broken…

They were just leaving the ER hallway when they met the other relatives. The entire group froze for a moment, and then a huge I'm-so-sorry-about-what's-happened-to-you gathering-thing spontaneously occurred.

"I'm so sorry about your daughter!"

"I do hope they'll get better."

"Did you hear the news?"

"No! What did it say?"

"They've closed the roads and airlines. We're advised to stay indoors."

"Not that _I'm_ leaving! My son's in there, and I'm not leaving until he does!"

Serenity and Mokuba looked wide-eyed at all of the adults talking.

Mokuba sniffled. "I really, really, really want my ni-sama back…"

Serenity covered her eyes. "I do too! Oh, why does he always get into trouble?"

"There there now, everything's going to be fine." Solomon patted them both on the shoulder. "Joey? Oh my dear, you needn't worry about him. He'll pull through. And Kaiba? Do you really think he'd give up? Believe me, your big brothers are fighting whatever it is with all they've got."

The roundabout sympathy giving was becoming a bit strained now. Mary sighed.

"I suppose that we'll have to leave soon. Visiting hours will end soon."

Mrs. Gardener nodded, crestfallen. "Yes. Besides, we need to close up the studio."

"Oh, shoot. I still have work to do." Mr. Taylor slapped himself on the head. "How can something so mundane have to come between me and my son? Ah, life…" He grumbled.

The traveler, who had introduced himself as simply Mr. Bakura, shook his head. "I'm not leaving. I promised Ryou I'd be back today, and I won't leave him."

Mokuba looked around. "Do I have to go?"

"I'm not leaving Joey," Serenity said firmly. "I'm going to stay right here, even if I have to hide in a closet!"

"No, you'll won't need to do that," Solomon said. "Here, I'll stay with you two and make sure you can stay with your brothers. The nurses won't shoo me away." He beamed. "Because I'm on first-name basis with them!"

Mary waved to Mr and Mrs. Gardener and Mr. Taylor, who were leaving now. Mr. Bakura had decided to go to the cafeteria to drink some coffee. She turned to see Solomon herding the two children off somewhere. As if sensing her concern, Solomon turned around and mouthed, _I'll take care of the children_. Mary nodded.

Then it was just her, all alone.

She walked over to a small sofa and took a deep breath. Well, she couldn't do anything more. It was up to fate now.

As in the time-honored traditions of mothers in distress, she began to pray.

"Oh Lord, keep him safe. Help him get well. Guide him, oh Lord; do not leave him, I ask you. Carry him in this time of trouble, please Lord, he's my only son…"

**x x x x x**

To the Ravager, patience is not a virtue.

Hate is.

And the Ravager has been waiting long enough.

Tick. Tock. Tick.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

Might start off this darkish fic with some humor, eh? Yes, these acronyms are in English, so it's not exactly Japanese-translatable…but hey, need some fun in a place of death, right?  
LOL – Little Old Lady;  
Crispy critter – burn victim;  
FOS – Full of Stool; (you do know what that means, right?)  
Code Brown – Someone took a nasty dump; (unconscious people can't control their own bodies, you know)  
GSW – gunshot wound;

"Zebra Case" – by now, because of the Hot Zone and the media, there's a famous saying that's becoming a cliche: "If you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." In the medical world that means, "Go for the likely diagnosis." Ebola symptoms often look like flu symptoms, but that doesn't mean every doctor who sees the flu thinks Ebola; they think of something ordinary, like horses. Just wait, though. Just wait.

"…pull a 21." – Something I've made up myself. I've heard somewhere that whenever someone dies he/she automatically, at the moment of death, loses 21 grams. (Of course, you may lose more via loss of fluids…) So by "pull a 21," I mean dying. Oh, and note that 3 x 7 21. Three, the magical number; and seven, the perfect number. SEEVVEEN!

The sign of the sparrow is actually a determinative. A determinative in Egyptian hieroglyphics is a glyph that makes clear of the meaning of a potentially confusing word (like in the English language of homonyms). They kind of "group" words. The sparrow was used for small, bad, weak or negative things. What Yami would really be seeing on the door but isn't due to the hurriedness of the scribe is a funky lamp/staff thing, an owl, a mouth below the owl, and the sparrow facing left w/ its tail downward.

This is actually an early morning spell to be read over a child. But yes, this is a real Egyptian poem. (This poem has been removed. The original is on mediaminer. Here on fanfiction(dot)net LoneWolf has replaced it with a poem that she herself wrote, based on the original. LoneWolf does not own the original poem. The ancient Egyptians did. So if you're going to remove me over that...)

Egyptian: I want to say here that what I have written in the chapter is the actual pronunciation in Egyptian hieroglyphics; with a few exceptions, which I state here. One: I do not use the _transliteration_, I use the _translation_/pronunciation. If you read the words below out loud, you will be speaking approximate Egyptian. (Which is cool, which is why I go through all the trouble to do this.)Approximate, because one, Egyptians usually did not write vowels in their hieroglyphic writing. As customary today, I put in "e" where needed. Two, I have used the traditional substitution of "a" for the transliteration symbols of 3 and 9, or in hieroglyphs, the vulture and the forearm. Famous example: Re vs Ra. The transliteration of the god's name is r9. The correct pronunciation is Re (with that funky triangle symbol on top of the e). The traditional "pronunciation" is Ra. For ease of speaking, since 3 and 9 are hard to pronounce, I stick with "a." Because I use the pronunciation and not the transliteration, it's really hard to know if I'm doing the right thing. But I think you readers would rather have something pronounceable than some weird thing like iaH, msD(i), or ntk. -Bonuses to those that know what those are!- Lastly, I am _not_ an expert in ancient Egyptian, but I sure am trying...  
nen renet emem ahnkhoo – His name shall not be among the living. Fitting, yes?  
chsm – dog. See, the dog thing's universal.  
see – who?/what?/which, here meaning, What?  
tjen ashu netek? – Where are you? (tentative grammar)  
netek see? – Who are you?

**Author's End Notes:**

LoneWolf: (_laughs hysterically_) Joey's death was the most fun thing to write in this chapter!

Joey: >> Oh goodie.

LoneWolf: I get you all thinking Joey's gonna make it, and then poof! Byebye! -laughs and laughs and laughs- I love lines are com-_pletely_ unexpected! Alrightly then, a few things here and there… A cool thing I've found out: if you guys have a T-89 graphing calculator, type in "ravager" with without hitting the alpha key (so you get the letter's numerical/symbolical entry). What you get is "2(equal sign)0(equal sign)7/2". Check it out! It has the millenium eye in it ((equal sign)0(equal sign)), the number seven, (7, WOOT!) and if you imagine it, the "2" and the "/2" can represent the cane and flail held by the Pharaohs. Cool, huh? And it's hidden within the Ravager's name!

Djanil: You know, only you are geek-enough and obsessed enough to type in "ravager" into your _graphing calculator_.

LoneWolf: …I'm not sure if this works on other graphing calculators, but it's really cool! (_sweatdrop_) Now, where was I…right. I tried putting an update section on my bio page; was that helpful? Or was it merely interesting to read about my struggles to write?

Yami: Or maybe they just don't care? …

LoneWolf: Sic 'im, Ravie!

Ebola Plushie: Raaarrr! (_bounces and snuggles on top of Yami, who is still on the hospital bed_)

Yami: O.O GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!

LoneWolf: Awww, just look at it! It's so cute! Ke'ai! Kaaawwwwaaaiii!

Djanil: Great, now you're speaking in different languages…

Yami: I have enough problems in the fic, now you have to torture me with plushies?

LoneWolf:…Oh all right. I'll save it for the theoretical "cast party" later. Fun later. Torture now.

Yami: (_groans_)

LoneWolf: Next chappie, we have some problems. Of course. The gang _really_ gets some Escher action, they have a bit of "Adventure Education," we have a spotlight on Bakura and Ryou, Kaiba gets whacked mentally on the head, and finally Mom gets some reassurance. Ta-da! Coming sometime in my lifetime!

Djanil: That's real encouraging…

Yami: _Please_ don't prolong the torture…

LoneWolf: Funfunfun, oh yes. It's summer; I should get more time to write, although I do have other fics. But I've wanted to write this chapter for a loonngg time…-grins- This is going to be _fun_. Review please! I really appreciate it! Ravie does too! Thank you all for reading, and catch you later!


	12. Search of the Seventh

Toboe LoneWolf: Yes, I know it's been a long time. But I'm here now and that's what matters, right?

(_crickets chirp_) (_wind blows_)

Djanil: Hearth the sound of silence.

LoneWolf: …-.- I'll just move on to the chapter.

Disclaimer: LoneWolf does not own YGO or Ebola (though she wishes to)  
Note: As of 4/29/05 this fic was majorly edited. Original can be found on mediaminer. Quotes have been removed. Quotes in this chapter were from The Hot Zone, which by now I'm sure you've read. The quotes formally in this chapter and all other chapters have been replaced with italized, impersonal, third-person my biological viewpoint on the outlook of things. But the story be mine. (_bares teeth_) Mine, I say.

//…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami. 

LoneWolf: So onward! Here beginth the first of climaxes!

* * *

_...The earth quakes..._

__

Chapter Twelve: Search of the Seventh

Ishizu frowned and let out yet another sigh. What on earth could these things mean? They looked so familiar… She growled and rested her head on her elbows on top of her desk, staring down at the undecipherable symbols.

"What's wrong, sis?" Malik peeked his head through the doorway of Ishizu's study. His light hair fell over his eyes, and he brushed it away. "Why are you still here?"

Ishizu pushed the paper away from her and slid back. "I can't translate these."

Malik raised an eyebrow. "You? The Egyptologist?" He walked over to Ishizu's desk and peered down at the paper. "What in the world could stump you?"

Ishizu thumped a pen over the paper. "A doctor from Domino, Japan sent me this. Have you seen the news? Of the Ebola case?"

Malik nodded. "Of course. Who hasn't? With all the terrorist hype out there, everyone knows about that." He grimaced. "And of course, the victim being the oh-so-famous 'King of Games.' But what does that have to do with your problem?"

"One of their interns died mysteriously while observing blood samples of the virus. These hieroglyphs were actually burned into his body. A doctor at the hospital thought they may have some connection to the intern's death, called me and asked if I could translate them." Ishizu sighed. "The problem is, I can only translate part of it. Half of it are glyphs I've never seen, but they look familiar for some reason."

Malik snatched up the paper with the hieroglyphs. "Huh." He mumbled to himself. " '_S neb shweer…maa sheta-ee iw mewet_'…Ooeee, this is wierdo stuff…"

Ishizu smiled sardonically. "The normal hieroglyphs I understand. '_Cursed is every man who looks upon my creation. To see my secret is to die. He who looks shall be consumed by fire and ice. Terror shall seize him, for I am Apep's favored one._' But the rest after that I can't figure out."

Malik grinned. "Oh, this?" He waved the paper. "That's nothing. _I_ know what this means."

Ishizu gaped. "What!"

Malik flourished the paper and set it down. "It's the writing of the low-class. You know, the thieves, beggars, and petty scoundrels of the alleyways. The Network of ye old." He winked. "You learn a lot of interesting things when you're the head of the Ghouls."

Ishizu looked upwards and shook her head. Figures. Her brother _would_ know that. "So what does it mean?"

"_I claim this as my slave, my offering. I claim this as my revenge. Hail to the shadows_." Malik cocked his head. "What's interesting is that this actually has good grammar. Most of the time I see, 'This be mine. Stay away. Kill you I will if touch.' Good grammar implies education, which implies a thief-lord." Malik raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Bakura may finally have competition now…"

Ishizu whacked Malik. "What did I tell you about bad company?"

Malik covered his head. "Ow! I know! Geez sis, it was just one night!"

Ishizu rolled her eyes. "I'd better call Dr. Keni back with the translation." Isis picked up the papers and moved towards the phone.

"Hey, I wonder what the curse was actually protecting," Malik said.

Ishizu stopped in mid-grab for the phone. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, the curse worked, right?" Malik pointed out. "Swiftly, too. It says that 'to see my secret is to die.' What secret?" His eyes narrowed. "What in the world did the intern see that would invoke the curse?"

"The intern was simply observing the virus…" Ishizu trailed off.

They both looked at each other. Malik nodded.

"There's something about that virus, and it has to do with Yugi and ancient Egypt." Malik rolled his eyes. "As always."

**x x x x x**

Joey shot up and gasped for breath. "Gah! Not _again!_ What the heck happened?"

Tristan slumped to the floor, not looking at anyone. "I have no clue."

Tea slid against the wall and hid her head. How had that happened? She had been there, and then again, not there. Well, really she'd been dead. Tea shuddered. She hadn't even seen herself alive…

Kaiba shrugged and stepped back. So the mutt died. Whatever. That was determinably in the past, and therefore irrelevant. Kaiba looked around, faintly amused by the shaken people. What, they actually cared about what they had seen? Kaiba saw Shadi put his hands in his sleeves and nod sagely. What the heck was that? Well, at least he wasn't moaning about a few more dead people.

Yugi knelt with his head in his hands. Too many memories, too many cross-references and incarnations and visions of the past and present. And more pain from his other self was leaking through their bond. Yugi growled and punched the brick walls. It was his fault that they were in this mess. If he wasn't so slow, if he hadn't been bitten, if he hadn't switched places with Yami so that he would be spared– why did they all have to suffer because of him? He tried, again, to take Yami's place, but he was blocked.

If Yugi had been more experienced in the ways of magic, he would have known that it was more than Yami's sheer will barring him.

Ryou was half hidden in the shadows, as always. He frowned, and rubbed his temple. His head felt funny, kind of _itchy_, or empty somewhat. Like that feeling whenever Bakura took the notion of wandering about and leaving Ryou to wonder just what interesting news would pop up on the TV that night.

And with that thought, Bakura just plopped right into Ryou's head. _Yep, he is definitely doing something, _Ryou thought._ Unfortunately._

//What, you actually care when I decide to walk about, yadonushi?// Bakura smirked.

Ryou sighed. /No, I just wonder what crazy stunt will turn up on the late night news because of you./

//Oh, _really?_// Ryou could practically feel the ideas forming in his yami's mind. //Then I should go outside more often, don't you think? I've heard it's quite healthy.//

/What were you doing?/ Ryou demanded.

//Oh, have I been bad?// Bakura mocked. //Never fear, yadonushi, I've been a very good boy,// Laughter. //A very, very, good boy…//

Joey laid back on the floor. Unconsciously his hand crept up to his chest. Right over his heart. Lub. Dub. Lub. Still beating. Still alive. "How'd I die anyway?"

"By a heart shot with a knife blade."

Heads whipped around to see Ryou clutching his wrists. Ryou raised his head, and then everyone saw the red crimson eyes of his yami. The ever present feral grin was beginning to form on Bakura's face.

Joey swallowed. "What?"

Bakura tapped his head. "_My_ memories are a little less faulty than the stupid Pharaoh. Allow me to demonstrate as a lover of blades." The sadistic smile deepened. "My pleasure."

The Millenium Ring glowed, and then a little image of the past Joey formed and solidified. "This, is the Pharaoh's stupid friend." The Ring glowed again, and a caricature of Yami popped up. His hair was seriously buzzed up, he was exceptionally short (about the size of Bakura's pinkie) and he squeaked at random moments. "And this would be the equally stupid Pharaoh."

The miniature Joey sat down on an invisible mat and the seriously shortened Yami knelt (well, stood) over him.

"The two pathetic friends cheer that Mr. Stupid Friend is healed." Sound effects were provided by the Millenium Ring. Sweatdrops formed on everyone's head.

/You are having way too much fun with this./

//Shut up.//

A ninja-like being materialized. It raised a hand that held a dagger, the sharp edge flashing once. "An assassin appears on the scene behind the stupid Pharaoh from the open front door. He throws his blade at the Pharaoh's unprotected back. Stupid friend, being stupid, knocks the dimwitted Pharaoh out of the way."

Many indignant squeaks from the miniature Pharaoh, to which Bakura smirked at.

"Stupid friend then flicks open the catch to the hidden knife in his sleeve and throws his own blade."

Corresponding movements made in slow motion. Bakura then raised an eyebrow. His smile grew. He reached for his back pocket and pulled something out. Slowly, and with exquisite care, he wrapped them around his wrists. "They look like this."

Everyone's eyes widened. On Bakura's wrists were black sheaths with small throwing daggers within.

Bakura took one knife out and tossed it, catching it in mid-air. He drawled, "Very good quality, these are. Trick release, see?" He put the knife back in and twiddled his fingers. "Watch and be amazed." His right hand twisted in a strange motion, and silently the catch unlocked and the knife hilt slid forward into his hand.

He fingered the plain, black hilt with his other hand. "You never know when you'll need one of these. Very versatile and useful." Bakura made another peculiar hand twist and the dagger slid back into its sheath.

Carelessly, Bakura continued on. "Stupid friend manages to hit the assassin's throat, but the assassin's blade hits stupid friend's heart as well. Both die." Grin. "Bloodily."

The three figures used in the "lesson" vanished. Bakura sat back, satisfied. "There now, wasn't that educational?"

"How do you know this anyway?" Tristan's eyes narrowed. "Were _you_ the assassin?"

Bakura glared. "Imbecile. Anyone who knows the art of knife-throwing could understand. For your information, I was happily roaming Thebes as a free thief." Bakura counted on his fingers. "The scene with the stupid friend flicking out his hand and snapping it forward is the drawing of his hidden blade. The gasp and falling body is evidence of a throat shot. The quick but fairly silent death is the sign of a heart shot." Narrowed eyes, and a slow raising of his wrist. "Or would you like a demonstration?"

Tristan blanched. A smirk and a flash, and Ryou was shoved back into control, messy hair covering his face. The wrist sheaths stayed on.

Long, uncomfortable silence.

"We'd better move now."

Eyes turned towards Kaiba, who had spoken. He glared at them all. "What? The faster this is over with, the faster I can get out of this mad house and finish my work."

"What, you have a idea to find the last door?" Joey said.

But before Kaiba could retort, everything changed.

Things began to ripple, as if the once solid walls were now liquid and fluid. The ground shifted under their feet, bricks crumbling as parts of the floor rose and fell. The hallway began to cave in at certain parts, doors screeching as the walls moved forwards or backwards. Some of the group were in danger of becoming pancakes on the ceiling and others were danger of falling through the floor– again. Nothing was certain; the moment you thought this was as high as you could get, whatever was below you thought otherwise and shoved you even higher…

Kaiba grabbed Yugi from the floor, who was staring in shock. "_EVERYONE! RUN! THIS WAY!_" Kaiba began to drag Yugi along, farther down the hallway.

Joey cursed under his breath, tripping as he came down the huge building blocks. He ducked as more brick fell down. The floor practically erupted beneath their feet, showering them with pieces of brick. Tristan was pulling himself out of a cave. Tea stumbled, holding her right arm tight across her chest because she had been slammed into a door.

"HURRY! HERE, GRAB MY HAND!"

Tea turned to see Shadi yelling and reaching out a hand. She grabbed it gratefully, and the two staggered after Kaiba, dodging falling stones and jumping over breaking fissures of the floor.

Ryou was trapped. He couldn't see anyone. A massive pile of stone and crushed bricks lay between him and everyone else.

//SPINELESS IDIOT!// Bakura screamed. //USE THE RING!//

Ryou yelped. /Wha–/

Red eyes flashed as the Millenium Ring blazed, pointers swinging as if in a micro-tornado. Then the mountain that separated Ryou from the others exploded outward, spraying into minute pieces of chalk. Ryou shielded his eyes, his formerly white hair whipping his face.

//MOVE YOU FOOL!//

Everyone ran.

This wasn't a single occurrence. The chaos was everywhere, causing them to run over hills that weren't there before and climbing over moving, jiggling staircases. It was a massive, full-scale rolling earthquake. Just when they thought they were safe, the walls would buckle and groan, causing them to flee yet again. They had to watch out in all directions, whether for crashing weights or squeezing tunnels or exploding mines under their feet.

They heard sounds too, other than the crushing of bricks and the bending of iron. Screams echoed and vibrated the already shaking doors. The screams were long and high, like the cry of an eagle. They heard hisses too, and growls, mixed in with yowls and howls that reverberated in their eardrums.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" Joey yelled, jumping over a fallen boulder.

"IT'S THE RAVAGER! WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!" Shadi screamed back. He was completely covered in gray dust and had a gash on his face from an errant brick. "THE PHARAOH'S MIND HAS BECOME UNSTABLE!"

Kaiba looked down at Yugi. He was slumped over and was only barely moving. Kaiba was practically hauling him along.

"YUGI!" Kaiba shouted into his ear, shaking him. "WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT OTHER YOU OF YOURS?"

Yugi clutched his stomach from where he had been smashed into a stone. Feebly he touched the Puzzle.

__

Light!

__

–No one, pain, hurt LIGHT shadows and darkness, cover in softness **Hiissss you are oursss** NO! I am Pharaoh, I will not fall to the likes of you **We knowsss, we can tasstess it, we can tastesss your fear** Iie! Nen! NonononoPAIN–

Yugi struggled to come out of the whirling maelstrom. There was nothing to hold onto. His main source of security was lost in a spiraling cycle of pain and loss–

__

–Lost and unseeing, unknowing, where is he? What he say, he say…protection? Where- cannot see- come back **You have nothing, we are your future, hiiissss, tasssty…Massster be pleasssed** Who? No no I will not bow to another **Little puny man, too weaksss, we knowss** Will not listen FALLING nevermore to the raven, nevermore–

Yugi flailed wildly like a drowning person. If he stayed in here, wherever here was, he too would fall and become lost. All of his senses failed; he was unseeing, unfeeling, mute, floating in a mad ocean of swirling shadows…

Kaiba stared at Yugi, skidding as he jumped over a hole. Something was wrong. Yugi was writhing and clutching the Puzzle. The blasted artifact was glowing again, and Kaiba was becoming seriously freaked out. What the _heck_ was happening?

Kaiba lifted Yugi up. _"Yugi! Wake up!"_

__

"What happened?" Tea yelled. The sounds of crashing and crumbling walls made speaking difficult, but now that they were closer together, at least they didn't have to yell so loud. Relatively.

Kaiba looked over his shoulder, still running. _"Yugi's unconscious or something! I think it's because of that spirit of his!"_

Shadi's eyes widened. _"He is still linked with the Pharaoh! If he does not break free, both of them, along with us, will fall into madness!"_

__

"Yugi! Break it off!" Kaiba shook Yugi again, and grabbed his Puzzle. _"Break the link! Listen to me!"_ Kaiba shook the Puzzle. _"Come back!"_

Yugi reached blindly in panic. Suddenly he saw Kaiba –no, the Priest Seto– holding the Puzzle. Yugi stretched, and caught Kaiba's arm. He clung to it, a pillar of strength. The vision Kaiba dragged him back upright. Confused, Yugi looked up to see the vision Kaiba smiling –an odd sight for one so stern– and then fade. Now, no longer caught in the storm, Yugi pulled himself back into reality.

And reality was very much like insanity.

__

"What's happening?" Yugi yelled, breaking free of Kaiba's hold and running for himself. He ducked as a block of bricks crashed down.

__

"The Pharaoh's mind!" Shadi yelled back._ "It's unstable! This is the final stage of the Ravager!"_

Yugi gulped as he felt another surge of pain from Yami. There were _things_ in his head, speaking into his mind, shredding his link with his other self. He fell to his knees and cried out.

__

"GET OUT!"

Kaiba looked down incredulously. What in the world did that mean? The world was falling apart and Yugi was yelling, _Get out?_

Joey shouted, and shoved Ryou as a huge stone crashed through the ceiling. It crushed the place where Ryou had previously stood, creating a huge crater.

Yugi screwed up his eyes and screamed again. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

Tea ran forward towards Yugi, only to be blocked by a flying iron door, flung loose by the buckling walls._ "Yugi!"_

The Puzzle blazed, the pure white fire blinding everyone.

Shadi gasped as he _felt_ magical energies swirling around the chosen one. No. Yes. The boy– this mere boy– was calling on powers he did not know, did not understand, and– the magic was answering him?

Yugi reached out mentally and grabbed his link, not caring as the tainted fire of the Ravager bit into him. Now he knew what those voices were. They were the Ravager itself, attacking Yugi's bond with Yami as well as Yami's mind and body. Everything was falling apart because now the Ravager was fully unleashed, fully born, and fully hungered. Yugi held on to this link, and gripped it, knowing that without this bond Yami would truly fall into the darkness.

Instinctively, Yugi commanded the magics he had summoned to do his will. They surged from his body, and forced the contamination of the Ravager out of their bond. The Ravager may attempt to destroy his body, they may destroy his mind, but by Ra they would _not_ break the link that kept it all together!

The Ravager howled its own defiance, fighting back. Everything was _theirs_, they had conquered it, and they would feed on its remains until they were full and bloated.

Sweating, Yugi fought back. The magic around him swirled and rushed, creating an unearthly wind that spiraled up and out, stretching, reaching, and _holding_ everything together.

Shadi stared, completely in shock. Yugi was glowing with a golden aura, and sheer Power was emanating out of him. It flowed, and spread, and the sudden chaos came to an end.

The shuddering earthquake ceased. The floor stopped shifting, the hallways blessedly stable. Things bent, but they did not break. No more abrupt hills popping up, no more rolling stairways, no more falling rocks to block their way. Everything was still.

The Eye of Horus flashed on Yugi's forehead, and then vanished. Yugi heaved for breath, his face dripping sweat. He wiped it off with his sleeve, and then looked down. The Puzzle was still glowing.

Joey looked around. Everything was normal again. Well, sort of. He glanced at Yugi, who was still recovering from…whatever he did. "For the third time, what happened? And Yuge, what did you do?"

Yugi stood up unsteadily. Everyone stared at the shining Puzzle. "I– It's–" Yugi staggered, and Kaiba (being the closest) grabbed his arm. Yugi looked up wearily, thanking Kaiba with a glance. Kaiba rolled his eyes.

Shadi cleared his throat. "I believe what happened is that the Ravager broke through the Pharaoh's shield on his mind. It has moved from attacking the Pharaoh's body to attacking his mind directly, and indirectly the Pharaoh's bond with his hikari. And since it is because of their bond that we are all allowed in this place, to attack the bond between them is to invite chaos."

Yugi nodded in agreement. Taking a deep breath, he tried again. "I'm not sure what I did, but I think I'm holding off the Ravager somehow." He wavered a little, and then regained his footing. "I think I used the Puzzle to hold things together. To…stabilize everything."

Shadi's eyes lit up with enlightenment. "Ah! Now I understand!" He turned and muttered a few words, holding onto his Ankh. It glowed, and Shadi looked around with confirmation.

"Yes. I see…" Shadi muttered, and put down his Ankh. "The Chosen One speaks truth. Indeed, he is holding this all together. It is probably only because he is the hikari of the Pharaoh that he is able to do this. The magic of the Millenium Puzzle has been spread out, locking each brick and stone in place. As long as he maintains the magic, things will remain stable."

" 'As long as?' " Tristan said. "It can fall apart later?"

Yugi rubbed his head wearily. "I don't know. I can feel the drain on me. It's not a heavy drain, but it is tiring."

"Then we had definitely start moving." Kaiba stepped away. "I do not want to try searching for the last blasted door when Escher starts becoming real-life." He began to walk down a random passageway.

"What? Escher?" Joey asked.

"Maurits C. Escher. A famous Dutch artist who drew impossible figures and optical illusions. Well-known drawings of his involve architectural impossibilities, stairways that appear to lead upwards and downwards simultaneously, and bizarre buildings with no set floor." Kaiba waved an arm. "As you can see, this has a remarkable resemblance."

Joey shuddered. Things were getting disturbing. He looked back at Yugi, who was gripping onto the Puzzle like a lifeline. Joey sighed and kneeled down. "Alright Yuge. Get on my back."

"But–" Yugi said. "I can–"

"No way." Joey interrupted. "You concentrate on one thing, and that's keeping everything sane around here. You just get on my back and I'll carry you."

Yugi sighed, and crawled onto Joey's back. "You don't have to do this–"

"Forget it. We've got to find that last door, and you can't walk around this mess and do your magic thingy at the same time. Besides," Joey grinned, looking over his shoulder, "what are pals for?"

Yugi smiled, and then blinked. "Where are we going anyway?"

Joey grunted and stood up. "To follow rich-boy over there." He pointed to Kaiba, who was walking away from them. "If he's so dead-set on finding the last door, then we might as well follow him. Come on guys, let's go."

Strange thought, that Joey would willingly follow Kaiba. Everyone else shrugged and moved to catch up to Kaiba. They had no clue what Kaiba was doing, but well, at least they were going somewhere.

Since somewhere was better than nowhere, which is where they _would_ be if they didn't find the last memory.

Time was running out.

**x x x x x**

Only the soft beeping of the monitor indicated that the body that lay in the hospital bed was alive. For all other purposes, he was dead. In more ways than one.

Blood was flowing freely. It pumped out from the body's nose, trailing down the flushed face and soaking the cloth underneath. With each beep, with each sluggish heartbeat, bright red blood spurted out to drip and stain. It etched a gruesome pattern on the face.

The doctors tried everything, of course. But all they could give Yami was supportive care. Multiple IVs dripped blood transfusions, attempting to replace the blood lost from bleeding and to keep blood pressure stable. One IV dripped anti-seizure medicine, just in case he went into epileptic convulsions in the dying stage.

Yami bled at all of the injection sites.

On sheer hope they also gave him immune globulin from lucky survivors. Perhaps, just perhaps, this time it would be effective, and the antibodies would fight against the virus.

Of course, the virus was an engineered weapon designed to take out everything in its path.

Dr. Seimei had even begged the Americans to give them any experimental medicines. They had had created a vaccine for the virus, _surely_ they must of found something!

They had not. Or if they had, USAMRIID deemed it of military secrecy and could not release it.

All they could do was wait and try to make things "comfortable."

The doctors would have put Yami on a ventilator to help him breathe, but his nosebleed prevented that. And Dr. Seimei was adamant against doing an intubation or a tracheotomy. Incisions made into the throat in the presence of a hemorrhagic virus would not be a good idea.

Outwardly, Yami looked like he was the victim of a horror movie blood bath.

The true horror though, was on the inside.

__

With Ebola, the decay of your body begins even before you die. Your internal organs die before you do. It is not a pleasant feeling, where your liver liquifies and your kidneys jam with blood cots, your spleen turning into one huge blood clot. You intestines fill up with blood, coming from weakened intestinal walls. Eventually this blood will be expelled out – both ends, along with large amounts of the lining in your gut. ...The future of an Ebola vicitim is not pleasant.

If Yami continued to deteriorate, his organs would begin to fail. In fact, they would die before he would.

His eyes were glassy, sunken hollows, seemingly fixed on some object above his face. Completely expressionless. The eyes were vacant pools of blood red. They just…stared…

Yami no longer tried to resist the pain. He was pain– no, he was beyond pain. His mind, having already fallen into a trance in an attempt to ward off the pain, had crossed the border of consciousness. Once again he was a fragmented personality, one that had already been broken.

He lay there, unmoving. Blood seeped out of his arm and traced a path down to limp fingers. A droplet hung from his index finger. For a second, it wavered, and then fell down onto the metal bedpan.

__

Ping. Ping.

Drip. Drop. Drip.

The King of Games was dying again.

**x x x x x**

Kaiba found himself leading a rag-tag, worn out group.

__

Great. Just great, Kaiba thought. _I have no idea where I'm going, and they're following me?_

Of course, he'd never admit that he didn't know where he was going.

Well, sort of. He had a low throbbing in his head, kind of like a mild headache, the kind that Kaiba usually got at work and subsequently ignored. The problem was, he couldn't ignore the dang thing. Whenever he came at a break in the hallway, his head would pulse in a certain direction, and if he didn't go towards that direction, the mild headache turned into a full-blown migraine. Once he went back on track though, the pain would recede back to its "mild" status. Though annoying was more like it for Kaiba.

"Hey Kaiba! Where are we going?" Joey said, breaking Kaiba's "concentration."

"Forward."

Joey made a face. "Ha ha. Very funny. No really, you got any clue?"

"No."

"What? You at least followin' anything?"

Kaiba turned his head around and raised an eyebrow. "A headache."

Joey stopped walking and looked at Kaiba incredulously. "You're following a headache."

"A headache that comes from you talking. Now shut your mouth, Wheeler." Kaiba turned back around and continued, well, following his headache.

"We're followin' a _headache_." Joey repeated. "This has got to take the cake for the weirdest things I've ever heard."

"Wheeler…"

Joey started walking again. "Alright, I know, I know…"

Meanwhile, Ryou was still trying to deal with the spirit of the Ring. Ryou kept noticing the furtive glances at wrists where the throwing knives were still strapped on. He had taken to putting his hands in his pockets, but he'd still catch a peek once in a while, as if he'd whip them out and murder them all. Considering the mental state of his yami, Ryou didn't blame them, but they made him edgy. Ryou tried to take the sheaves off, but Bakura wouldn't let him.

/And just why won't you let me take them off?/

//'Cause I like them. They don't look that bad, too. Lots of people are wearing bracelets now.// Bakura grinned. //Consider them to be a fashion statement.//

/Oh, sure. The newest, hottest fashion line, straight from the alleys. King of Thieves brand. Great stuff./

//Why little yadonushi, are you mocking me?/ Bakura said in a lightly pleasant and very dangerous voice.

Ryou faltered, but didn't pull away. Going without "lessons" for so long had made him be a little bit bolder on the treacherous path he walked. /If I am your yadonushi, then what have you been doing? I know you've been out; what have you done?/

//That's a dangerous question to ask, host.// Bakura paused, and then grinned. //But of course, you're my yadonushi; of course I'll tell you. Rather, I'll show you–//

Ryou gulped and braced himself. Oh no–

Flash!– _Now where is it? I need to find the secret within this cursed maze–_

Flash!– _By Ra, that has got to be the most disturbing thing I have ever seen the Pharaoh do…Note to Self: "Remind" Pharaoh of that par_ti_cular dance–_

Flash!– _Well. Well. Well._

Flash!– _Then let it all fall down, and crumble into dust, and all of his pride be stripped from him–_

Flash!– _And may I forever drink his blood from the cup of agony and rejoice–_

Ryou was thrown out of the fractured bits of memory. He swallowed hard. From what he could make of it, Bakura had been searching for something, and either he had found it or he had done something Very Bad and was accordingly Very Happy. This would come under the category of "Not Good."

//You know nothing, ahou…absolutely nothing…a single piece in this game we all play…//

Kaiba was getting to be a bit more relieved. His annoying headache was subsiding, and he actually felt a breeze. Finally, fresh air. The labyrinth was so dull and airless that the light waft made the walking a bit easier.

He didn't think of where the source of the breeze was coming from until the hallway opened out to reveal–

A huge, enormous cavern.

"Whoa…" Tristan breathed. "This is gigantic…"

Tea looked down and saw levels upon levels swirl around and become uncountable. They were very, very high up… and as Tea took a look upwards, there were still even more levels above them…

Joey set down Yugi, who promptly sat down and hung his head. So tired… He didn't care about looking around; it was all in his own head anyway…

Joey just stared. "It's like being on the stands of a huge stadium. Or there's like a big hole in the middle of his mind or somethin'…"

Pillars interspersed the place, holding the place up. A few had fallen down –probably from that earthquake attack– and some hallway openings had collapsed. Hieroglyphs and engravings were carved everywhere, and there was a border of a bunch of Egyptian kings and praising people that lined the entire cavern. Some stairways lead up to the next level or came down, only to be cut off at the edge. There was no way to get across though.

"Um…what do we do now?" Ryou said.

"Go up." Kaiba lifted his head. "The door's up there."

Everyone turned around and craned their necks. The area right above them was not so far out as they were (so as to be a slant) and there, on the level way above them, was the seventh door, the symbol of the Rod impressed in the center.

Joey took a few steps backward to get a better view. "How'd you know it was up there?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well, it's kinda weird, 'cause you didn't even look…"

"I just knew, alright?" Kaiba said irritably. "Who cares? Let's just up there and end this nonsense."

"How are we going to get up there anyway?" Tea asked. "It's practically another story high."

Tristan whistled. "Man. That is one tall ceiling."

"We're not even close." Joey demonstrated, jumping up and trying to reach the edge. He missed by a meter. "How are we going to do this?"

"We…we could try going back and finding a stairway," Ryou said.

Everyone else shook their heads mutely. This place was too confusing to do that. They might need to go too far back to find one, and even if they did, they couldn't know if it would lead to the same level, or even towards the same direction.

"What about magic or somethin'? " Joey looked at Shadi. "Maybe we could levitate up there?"

Shadi shook his head. "I cannot use the Ankh to levitate myself upward for very long, much less all of you, in a group or singularly."

"Yugi? What'd you think?" Joey asked.

Yugi's eyes shot open. "Wha?"

"You got an idea of how to get up there?"

Mutely Yugi shook his head. "Too…tired."

Joey jumped again and missed. He grabbed Tristan. "Hey Tristan, give me a boost up."

Tristan looked confused a moment, and then got it. He bent his knees and cupped his hands. "Alright. One, two, three!"

On three, Joey ran up, put his right foot on Tristan's cupped hands, and jumped while Tristan boosted Joey up.

Unfortunately, that still wasn't high enough, although Joey did brush the ceiling. Only then Joey felt gravity take over, looked down, gave a meep! and crashed.

"Ow…"

Tristan shook his head. "Well, that won't work."

"Some pity would be nice!"

Tea stepped back and looked at the door. Then her eyes trailed down. "Actually, Tristan? That just might work."

"Huh?"

"We form a pyramid. You know, like how cheerleaders do. Then the person on top can get boosted up just like you two did."

Everyone stared at her.

Joey thought. "You think that'll work?"

Tea nodded. "Sure, I've done this loads of times in cheerleading practice. We can go pretty high that way. Though I'll probably be the top person, since I'm the one who had practice."

"But Tea…if you get over, how are the rest of us going to get up there?" Ryou pointed out.

"Er…" Tea sweatdropped. "Lemme think…"

Tristan looked up closely, and then pointed a finger upward. "I know. We'll make a long rope using our clothes."

Ryou frowned. "Are you sure that'll work?"

"Well, I won't guarantee it, but this is the best way."

Well, it was ghetto (a clothes rope?) but hey, it was something. They came up with a fairly long rope from all their clothes. However, to get a rope long enough, the guys had to go bare-chested. Yup, jackets, T-shirts, trenchcoats, cloaks– they all were rolled up and tied onto a long rope. Fangirls would have taken one look at the sight and died happy.

"You know, this has a strange resemblance to strip poker…" Joey muttered.

Kaiba growled as he took off his T-shirt. "Shut. Up."

The results?

Yugi got to keep his vest, since it was too bulky and short to do any good. But his black, long sleeved shirt went to the rope. Joey gave up his blue and white T-shirt, and Tristan threw in his black jacket and the gray sleeveless shirt beneath it. Ryou put in his blue jacket (with much protesting of Bakura, which made Ryou think Bakura had been putting certain things inside) and his blue and white striped T-shirt. Kaiba was forced to add in his beloved purple trenchcoat to the rope ("Come on Kaiba, it's so long and it's made of good strong leather–" "Do you know how expensive this was?" "Which means it'll be perfectly fine…") and when they found out it still wasn't long enough, the T-shirt (surprisingly enough) that Kaiba wore underneath. Shadi very reluctantly took off his cloak, and later on his tunic. Whoever Shadi was, the evidence of the tanned, well muscled chest said that Shadi did not always wear those long white clothes 24/7… Tea, being a girl, was spared most of the embarrassment. However, she put in her shiny, orange vest since she wore a tank-top underneath. A few un-Tea-like glares stopped most of the peeking.

Tristan tightened the last knot. "There. Go water-knots. You can trust your life on 'em."

"You sure this…rope can take the strain?" Ryou said, clutching his arms. The metal Millenium Ring was cold against his chest.

"Oh sure." Tristan pulled two ends to demonstrate. "I rock-climb in my spare time, and I make these knots all the time, to anchor and stuff. It's way better than the over-hand knot." He tossed the rope to Tea. "Here, Tea."

Tea dubiously picked it up and wrapped the bulky thing over her head and shoulders, crossing the rope diagonally on her chest. She nodded. "Right. Now, Kaiba, Joey and uh…Shadi, you guys will be the base. Then Tristan and Ryou, you guys will stand on top of them, and give me a boost. I'll be the top person."

"Man, my back hurts just thinkin' about it." Joey gave a long look at Tristan. "Take off your boots. I don't want any heels digging into my back."

So Kaiba, Shadi, and Joey got on their hands and knees. Carefully Ryou and Tristan stepped on, though Ryou kept jumping off saying "I'm sorry!" the moment Joey groaned. A few bops on Joey's head by Tea stopped that.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Tea said.

"Just get _up_ there," Joey whined.

Tea rolled her eyes and stepped on Joey's butt. "Stop complaining, Joey." She put her left foot on Tristan's hands, and then said, "Okay. One, two, three!"

With that, she put her right foot in Ryou's hand as Tristan pushed up, and Tea zoomed upward (blessing the dressing gods there be that made her choose shorts instead of skirts today). Tristan gritted his teeth, but got his hands to go about shoulder height, Ryou trying to keep Tea level.

"Gah! That hurts!" Joey moaned.

"Sor_ry_!" Tea shot back. The second level came up to her chest. She put her hands down on the brick level and pushed her body up farther, enough so that she could get a leg over.

Yugi winced, as he felt the magic ebb and then surge. It was hard to keep everything steady, when so many factors were changing. The Ravager kept trying new areas to break through, and Yugi's strength kept dwindling. It was like a cut that just kept bleeding. And bleeding. And bleeding–

–**Hiss!**–

The ground lurched, tumbling everyone to the ground. A pillar nearby creaked. The edge of the floor above them jiggled, sending a few bricks to fall off and _thunk!_ themselves down towards the unforgiving cavern bottom. Tea shrieked, as she was only halfway over, and felt herself slipping…

The scream pierced though Yugi. He clenched his jaw and seized the power of the Puzzle, ignoring the burning, raw power. He shoved it against the hole the Ravager had made, creating another barrier. The Ravager howled, and butted against the newly made barricade, only to have the barrier spark and lash out against them. But for now, they were blocked.

Joey whipped his head around. "Yuge! What happened?"

Yugi closed his eyes. "I lost control for a second. It's…hard…to keep this up."

Joey nodded. "Don't worry, Yuge. We're almost there." He leaned up. "Hey Tea! You okay?"

Tea was stretched out on the second level, gasping for the close call. She muttered, "Yea for upper-body strength." Just before she had really slipped off, she had managed to pull herself all the way over, though her arms were screaming at the abuse. Tea rolled over and looked down. "I'm alright."

She flopped over and pulled the rope off her shoulders. "Alright, here comes the rope." Tea stood up, unrolled the rope, and let it down. It came down to a nice height, easy for the group below to reach.

"Yugi, you come on up first. I'll pull you up."

Yugi got up from where he was sitting and nodded. Grabbing the rope tightly (or rather, Bakura's jacket tightly), he called out, "Ready…"

Tea pulled him up hand over hand. Yugi clambered over to the top, and then lay flat on the floor.

"So tired…"

Tea looked over Yugi. He was breathing heavily and one hand rested on the Puzzle. The Puzzle glowed, proving that Yugi was still keeping the magic together.

"You'll be fine, Yugi. Just keep it up." Tea looked down again. "Ryou, you next. You're the next lightest, I think."

Ryou scrambled up with no problem, his pale white body skimming up the rope. The thick knots helped a little. With two people on top, they could now pull up the bigger people. Tristan went next, then Joey, Kaiba, and lastly Shadi.

The rope was hastily undone. Well, they would have done it hastily, but the thing about water-knots is that they're self-tightening… which made Tea's hands invaluable in undoing the tight knots. So the clothes had a few wrinkles, but hey, they were up here now, right? Everyone put them clothes back on with relief.

Kaiba looked at the tail of his trenchcoat and grimaced. "The dry-cleaner is going to have a fit."

Joey patted Kaiba on the back. "That's right, Kaiba! You took one for the team!"

Kaiba glared.

Then the floor beneath them heaved, like there was a giant creature below fighting to break free. The floor ominously rumbled. Everyone stumbled, and Yugi's hands clutched the Puzzle tighter. With a loud gasp, Yugi regained control on the magic.

Tea ran over and grabbed Yugi's hand. "Yugi! Are you alright?"

Wearily, Yugi pushed Tea's hand away. " 'M fine, Tea. It's just…tiring, keeping it up all the time. Like…there's something pouring out of me."

Joey nodded. "Right. Well, we're here now, so it'll be over soon." He walked over to the seventh door. "Righto. Last door." He looked down. "And once again, no door handle."

Everyone, save Yugi, walked over and looked at the last door. The symbol of the Millennium Rod, the Millenium item that gave all of them so much trouble in Battle City, was impressed in the center, the Eye shining brightly. Beneath were those mysterious symbols they still didn't understand, and beneath those was the line they all needed.

"Well. This is fairly simple. It's right out there." Joey thumbed the line.

Ryou read it aloud. " '_Oh Doubter, touch, and believe_.' "

"That's different," Tea said. "The other ones had a pattern, you know? This one breaks that pattern."

"Touch and believe, huh?" Tristan scratched his head. "Wonder what that means."

"No, it's 'touch, and believe.' " Tea corrected. "The pause must be there for a reason."

Joey frowned. "And what about the 'Doubter' part? What about that?"

Kaiba was staring at the door. It couldn't be. They were playing tricks on his mind. No way could this be true. He saw the line that everyone else saw, yes; and the second line in that Egyptian script that he shouldn't be able to read but could–

–but now there was a third line.

In the same Egyptian script, Kaiba could read, _Enter, old friend_.

__

What did all this mean?

Shadi stared closely at Kaiba. He saw the young man's shock and confusion. _Now,_ Shadi thought, _Seto Kaiba, High Priest, now is the time. This is the test. This will be your awakening._

Yugi lay on the floor, completely oblivious. It took all of his concentration on just keeping the magic together. His mind overflowed with flashes of swirling lights, maze layouts, screaming dragons and his dying yami. All while the Ravager was ripping and slashing and roaring in his mind–

Pain shot through his head and he lost control of the magic again. The world rumbled and shook, and things that barely survived the first two shakes lost their battle to the third. Everyone ducked and covered their heads as dust and broken shale fell down. A pillar nearby groaned, and then came down like a felled giant.

Through all the chaos, Kaiba heard that line echo in his head.

__

Enter, old friend.

__

Enter…

In a daze, Kaiba began walking forward. He had no clue of what he was doing. Nothing fell on him; in fact, they seemed to veer away. Kaiba never noticed, walking as if in a trance. His eyes focused on that single line. Slowly, he began to stretch out his hand.

__

Doubter, touch, and believe…

Ryou was crouched against the wall. He was the only one who saw what was happening.

__

What the?

Suddenly he felt Bakura's consciousness looking through his eyes.

//_No!_//

And Bakura wrenched control from Ryou, slamming him into his soulroom.

//_I will not be denied!_//

Bakura's eyes narrowed into slits. He tensed his body, his hand flicking to the side–

–Kaiba took one more step–

–Bakura leapt from the shadows–

–and Kaiba's hand touched the iron door.

**x x x x x**

Yugi's mother sat on the red sofa and prayed. Prayed, and cried; she cried until there was nothing left. Although it was long past visiting hours, no one wanted to force the desolate mother to leave.

Mary wiped her face. She just wanted to see her son…just one last time…before…

But she couldn't.

And so Mary sat there in a secluded hallway near the ICU, the closest she could possibly be to her only son. There was only one sofa –a bench with padding, really– and a tiny, water starving plant. Down the hallway was the nurse's station, and further down the hallway would be ICU 1, ICU 2, ICU 3, ICU 4 and then ICU 5.

Where her son was…

Dying.

Yugi's mother closed her eyes and denied. No, that wouldn't happen, _couldn't_ happen. He would survive, and they'd go home the next day, and–

But really, realistically…Yugi would die. Mary fluxed between optimism and pessimism. He was young, he could make it; but he had always been on the small side, and weak…

Mary cried until she was nothing more than a hollow, empty shell. There was nothing she could do anymore, except pray and hope she would be heard.

As she bowed her head once again, Mary heard a song begin to faintly play down the hallway. But what Japanese hospital plays English music over the intercom? Mary didn't know English very well, but she knew a little bit to know when it was spoken. Or in this case, sung. Mary closed her eyes and ignored the music, though it was oddly comforting to her.

"Please God, don't let Yugi die. Let him live, please…just let him live… He needs Your help, I can't do anything more...Please, heal him…"

Mary rubbed her eyes. It was getting to be late. Sometime around midnight. A nurse had offered her a cot somewhere, but that meant leaving Yugi. And Mary would not leave her vigil. Even if Mary couldn't be next to her son in reality, she would be there in spirit.

Solomon Motou, grandfather to the one who was dying, watched over the two children with a sad face.

He had taken Mokuba and Serenity to the cafeteria, joking all the time. For once, his age was a good thing– he could tell a lot of stories to entertain them. Mokuba was particularly stunned that Solomon never had Duel Monsters to play with, and no holograms…

Dinner was strained, but at least it didn't become a sob fest. Solomon did everything to keep their minds off their elder brothers. But there would always be a wistful edge to their young faces, a tint of worry. Just like when Yugi would become troubled whenever Yami fell into the "memory-loss/brooding" mode.

He kept his promise to them, though. Thank goodness for the powers of age and networking. The nurses in ICU allowed Mokuba and Serenity to stay, due to the fact that they were family members and also that Solomon promised to watch over them.

Mokuba was asleep, his head resting on his older brother's chest and his small hand clutching Seto's. His long black bangs fluttered from his breathing, his face for once peaceful. The two brothers breathed in and out at the same time, gently rising and falling in harmony.

Serenity was still awake, sitting next to Joey. Just like before in Battle City. She sat there quietly and motionless, staring at her brother's face. Mutely she reached out and took Joey's hand, cupping it between her two small ones.

"Do you think they'll wake up?"

Solomon started at Serenity's question. "Hm?"

Serenity looked up. "Do you think they'll wake up?"

"Of course," Solomon tried to assure. "They'll make it. Joey's tough, and he's gone through harder things than this."

Serenity shook her head. "But we don't even know what happened to them. I don't know what Joey's been through." She raised her eyes and stared at Solomon. "What happened to him? Why is he like this? I can't help him if I don't know what's happened to him!"

She ducked her head and sobbed.

Serenity shook her brother. "Wake up, Joey! _Please_, wake up!"

"Serenity!" Solomon got up, reaching out his hand. "You can't–"

Serenity ignored him. "Stop scaring me like this! Wake up, Joey, wake up!" She stared into her brother's closed eyes. "Do you hear me? _Wake up!_"

Mary cupped her hands, as if Yugi's frail hand was between hers now. She remembered the last time she had held her son's hand. The hand that had streaked and dripped blood simply by her touch…Mary flinched at the memory. She couldn't even hold her son's hand. Couldn't even _see_ her own son. He was locked away in a little white room with only machines and a monster keeping him company.

If only she could just _see_ him. Just to see him, to know that at least for a little while, he was still alive…

Mary gave up formal prayer and just pleaded.

"Please, God. If you're there, if you're really listening to me, if you really exist, then save my son. He doesn't deserve this. He's been through so much…"

Mary appealed. She begged. She sobbed tears that never came.

Somehow, that was even sadder than before.

"Why must he suffer? Why him? He's so innocent, God…my little angel…why are you putting him through this? Let _me_ suffer…I can't live without him...anything, just please…"

As Mary covered her face again, having dug the hole of despair even deeper, she still heard that blasted song. It echoed her own pain and longing, a plea for help.

"Please…if you're listening…save him…please…he's my only son…"

"What's wrong?"

Mary blinked. Who said that?

A little girl bent her head way down so she could see Mary's face. The girl, no more than perhaps six, bounced her legs on the bench edge and asked again. "Why are you crying?"

Mary sat up and looked down at the child speaking to her. She was small and tiny, almost fragile. Black shiny hair whished around as the child craned her neck back to look back into Mary's eyes with amazing blue ones, eyes that looked oddly old in such a young face. Mary felt strange…like the child just _knew_…

Mary looked at the girl, wondering just why the child was here. The bench was in an out of way place; she should have noticed any passer-by. But that girl had just…appeared. Mary turned, and asked, "What's your name?"

Bounce. "I'm Sybil. What's yours?"

"…Mrs. Motou."

Smile. "Nice to meet you."

Mary frowned inside her mind. '_Sybil._' That was her first name and not her family name. Why give her first name?

"Why are you here?"

Sybil wiggled her toes. "My daddy told me to wait here and watch my big brother. He's sick in the hospital." Sybil lowered her head. "They said he got a funny sickness. But Daddy says he'll make sure everything will be all right. He went to go talk to my big brother and the men in white suits. Daddy says my big brother will be back home real soon."

Mary wished that could be true for Yugi was well.

The little girl smiled in that endearing way that small children do. Dimples and all. "You were crying real hard. What's wrong?"

Mary folded her hands and stared at them. "My…my son is…very, very, sick."

"Ooooh." Sybil wiggled her toes. "That's sad." She paused, and then said, "When is he going to get better?"

"He's…not going to get better."

Sybil frowned in confusion. "Why not?"

Mary tried to put it in a way the child could understand. Which was bluntly. "He's going to die."

"The doctors aren't going to help?"

"They can't."

Sybil cocked her head. "But why aren't you helping?"

"I can't either."

"But mommies and daddies always help! My daddy says he'll make things better, and he's always right." Sybil stretched out her legs and clutched the bench. "Daddy never gives up, and he never leaves us. Grown-ups shouldn't ever give up."

Mary smiled at the supreme trust this girl had in her father. If only everyone could be that trusting. "Really?"

Sybil turned around and nodded furiously. "Uh-huh! I always know that Daddy's going to be right there if I ever get hurted. Daddy's helping my big brother right now, just by being there. Sometimes all we need to know when we're sick is that someone's watching over us."

Sybil's eyes grew wider, and she sat up straight and said very solemnly, "Daddy says that angels are always watching over us."

And then Sybil grinned, and the quiet moment broke. Mary blinked, and it was as if the little girl before her had never become a miniature adult and said something totally un-childlike.

Suddenly Sybil hopped off the bench. "Daddy's calling!"

Mary turned her head around. She'd heard nothing…

Sybil turned around and waved. "Bye-bye! I promise your son will get better!"

And with that, the little girl skipped down the hallway and disappeared. Confused, Mary stood up and looked down the hallway, but she saw no one. Mary frowned, and thought. Why had Sybil been here anyway? It was long past visiting hours, so her family shouldn't be here in the first place. And why would her father tell her to wait in such a secluded hallway? In the ICU hallway, no less. Mary walked down the hallway, wondering just where the child had went. Finding no one, she made her way to the nurse's desk and the lone nurse sitting there.

"Excuse me, but did you see a young girl go by?"

Nurse Kusuri blinked. Wasn't visiting hours over by now? "Ah…no."

"Really?"

Nurse Kusuri nodded, and looked at the security cameras. "Yes, no one has passed by recently."

"That's strange…" Mary trailed off.

"Hm?"

"Well, I talked with a little girl named Sybil, and she just left, going down this hallway. She said that her father told her to wait there _and_ also called her, but I heard nothing." Mary looked around. "Just where did she go?"

Nurse Kusuri looked at Mary strangely. "I heard no one go by this place for over an hour. There is no way a little girl could have come by this way."

"But I did see her!" Mary protested. Something was very wrong here…

Nurse Kusuri shook her head. "You must be mistaken."

Mary opened her mouth, and then gave up. She moved to turn away, and then had a thought.

"Excuse me, but just what song were you playing back awhile ago?"

"A song?"

"Yes, it was in English…"

Pause. "We don't play music, ma'am…"

**x x x x x**

Kaiba barely registered the fact that his hand was touching the cold metal door when the memory seized him–

__

He was gone. I picked up the Puzzle pieces and clutched them. My Pharaoh existed no longer in this world–

All because of the stupid magic. I growled. All because people were so greedy, so selfish, so incredibly stupid as to meddle with the higher magics. For this_, my Pharaoh, my rival and friend, had to sacrifice his very life just to seal what the fools had released._

Magic was tainted, and all it had caused was more suffering and pain.

I stood up, and threw down my Rod.

"I swear, by Osiris, Isis and Horus, I will never_ use magic again."_

–and Kaiba was back in the present.

Kaiba gasped and wrenched back his hand, clutching his wrist as if he had been burned.

**x x x x x**

Bakura leapt forward, knife clasped in his hand. He could practically feel the lifeblood beating in front of him, the pulse just waiting to be slit–

__

–LIGHT!–

__

:You shall not harm This One!:

//What?//

Ryou stirred in his soulroom. Something had happened. He'd seen Kaiba walking forward strangely, and then–

His eyes flew open. _No._ The spirit–

/What have you–/

Bakura stumbled in mid-leap and landed on one knee. //Stay out of this!// His fist clenched shut, and magic pulsed.

__

:They are under my protection.:

Ryou shook the fog out of his mind. Someone– But the spirit had– A feeling? No, a presence– Confused, Ryou reached out a mental hand. /Who–/

Bakura snarled and seized magic to punish whoever _dared_ to challenge him. //This is MY domain, and I shall do what I please!//

__

:Not this time.:

And suddenly it was the spirit of the Ring who was locked in his soulroom and Ryou who knelt on the floor, dazed.

Suddenly, Ryou felt the attention of someone –something– that no mortal should ever have. He felt like there were eyes watching him that he could not see.

__

:Little One.:

And the voice deepened, and seemed to fill Ryou's ears, his mind, and his world shrank to only the voice that resonated all through him.

__

:Listen well, Little One. My time is short. Now is the time to act. Awake! Sleep no longer! The winds of fate are changing. What is to be is not what it once was.:

:Now forget, Little One. Forget until you are ready to remember again.:

**x x x x x**

Yugi shook, his body literally streaming with unrestrained magic. He screamed as magic surged through him, no longer under control, overflowing his link and wrecking havoc. He was caught in a wildfire that ripped and raged, with no chance of escape–

__

–LIGHT!–

__

:Peace!:

And the fire died. The world shuddered once, and then subsided. All was calm.

A soothing feeling ran down through Yugi, healing the magical wounds he had suffered. Exhausted from keeping the magic together, Yugi let it be. A light mind-touch, much like how Yami used to do, brushed across his mind.

__

:Courage, Chosen. Waver not. Stand strong in the time of the shifting sand.:

It didn't sound like Yami… /Who…/

A gentle brush across his face. _:A servant only, nothing more. Heed my words. You were Chosen for a reason. Call forth your inheritance, and all will be well.:_

/What–/

__

:All will be well. Stay true to your heritage and all will be well.:

**x x x x x**

The dust shifted, and settled. Joey cracked open an eye. When nothing came crashing down, he stepped out from behind the fallen pillar.

"Hey! Everyone okay?"

Tristan groaned, and emerged from underneath a pile of rubble. "Define 'okay.' " He rubbed his head, and a bump was beginning to form. "Gah…my head hurts."

Tea crawled out behind Tristan. "Where's Yugi?"

Joey looked around, to see Shadi kneeling and cradling Yugi's head. "Hey, Mr. Turban– I mean, Shadi. Is Yugi okay?"

Yugi stirred, waking up. " 'M alright, Joey." He blinked sleepily, and then noticed Shadi looking down on him. "Oh. Thanks. Were you the voice I heard?"

Shadi frowned. "I did not speak."

"But…" Yugi said. "I heard a voice…"

Ryou was still on his knees, trying to figure out what happened. He'd seen…something…and then…he was here? That didn't seem right.

Tristan bent down and touched Ryou's shoulder. "Hey, Ryou. You okay?"

Ryou shook his head, and sat back on his feet. "I'm fine."

Tea knelt down by Yugi. "What happened? Are you sure you'll be fine?"

Yugi sat up, his hands already clutching the Puzzle, which was still softly glowing. "I'll be fine, Tea. I just lost control again." Yugi hung his head. "I think– I think I lost it completely, that time, and everything just recoiled at me. I don't know how I got it to stop, though. Everything was just falling apart–" His eyes went blank. "–and then there was this voice…"

"What voice?" Joey asked. "What did it say?"

"I don't remember." Yugi closed his eyes, trying to recall. "All I remember is it saying, 'All will be well.' "

"That's strange…" Ryou muttered. _I think…did I hear a voice as well?_

Ryou inwardly winced, bracing for the acidic remark from the Spirit of the Ring.

…Nothing.

Ryou blinked. He gripped the Ring and cautiously tested it. Nope. Still there. Just that…it seemed so…quiet. Or perhaps calm was the word. …Which was an oxymoron with the spirit.

"It matters not." Shadi said, standing up. "We must continue on."

Heads turned towards the door, where they saw Kaiba kneeling, clutching his right hand–

–and an open door.

"What the–"

Yugi blinked. "It's open…"

Joey looked from the door to Kaiba. Then from Kaiba to the door. "Kaiba, did you do that?"

Kaiba stood up and glared at everyone. "What?"

Tea pointed at the open door. "The door. You must have opened it."

"I did _not_." Kaiba crossed his arms. "The door opened by itself."

Skeptic faces stared back. "I don't think so," Joey said, pointing a finger. "I know you've done something, Kaiba!"

"Does it matter?" Kaiba shot back. "The door's open, so who cares?"

He turned around, his purple trenchcoat whipping across. "Are we going in or what?"

And with that, he stalked through the doorway. Confused, the rest of the group mutely followed, into a room with tall marble pillars, hieroglyphs etched across the granite walls, foreboding statues that stood in a line.

This place just didn't make sense. Why, of all the doors, did this one have another chamber? Why did they not open the next memory?

They walked down along the center, still following Kaiba.

Until he stopped, stunned.

For there, at the end, stood a door.

Except that the door was the same carving of the one in the Domino Museum.

**x x x x x**

The game is almost over.

Time is running out.

Tick. Tock.

Drip. Drop.

* * *

**Footnotes:**

Tracheotomy – the act or procedure of cutting into the trachea through the neck, as to make an artificial opening for breathing. An intubation is putting a little tube in the throat; often used for people with throat cancer. Obviously, cutting up someone with a virus that is transmitted through bodily fluids is bad. The immune globulin therapy hinges on the fact that serum from a survivor would have antibodies against the virus. Hasn't been thoroughly tested with Ebola (not exactly many survivors and test subjects), but generally did not work in labs. USAMRIID– United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, at Fort Detrick, in Maryland. One of the few places that has a Level 4 biocontainment area.

Water-knots. A type of knot used in rock climbing. Basically, one rope end (which is one of those flat nylon types, called webbing; not the round stretchy ones) is tied in a loose overhand knot, and the other rope end is traced through the over hand knot. In the end, the water knot is flat; you tighten the knot by pulling on the two ends. The water-knot is self-tightening, meaning the more you pull, the tighter it gets. Oftentimes, by the end of a climb, they're so tight you have to cut the knot off. Water-knots, unlike most knots, do not weaken the rope; and if webbing can hold around 5000-8000 pounds (2270-3630 kg) I'm sure that the knots Tristan made won't break. The shirts might, though. (But of course not Kaiba's trenchcoat; that would be _so_ devastating, don't you think? *evil grin*)

Japanese generally give their last name first, then their first name, especially in the case of a minor to an older person. There is a reason for this unusual usage, though. (Though it probably only makes sense in my head. Djanil: *nodnod*)

The song bit was from "He's My Son" by Mark Schultz. No own, no sue. Yes? (Song has been removed. Go to mediaminer to read. Very nice.)

Egyptian:  
s neb shweer – Cursed is every man  
maa sheta-ee iw mewet – To see my secret is to die

Japanese: (_covers head_) Please don't hurt me for screwing up any Japanese language or customs. It's hard enough dealing with English and Chinese and learning Egyptian on the side. Anyway, past Japanese references:  
ahou – fool  
mou hitori no boku – my other self. Yugi's term for Yami.  
yadonushi – host or landlord. Used mockingly by Bakura as his term for Ryou.  
kami-sama – God.  
Iie – no.  
kuso – shit. And before someone yells at me for swearing, I am trying to be as in character as possible, and unfortunately most adults swear. Also, I quote, (quote has been removed due to fanfiction(dot)net's nonallowance of such things. Go to mediaminer for proof.)

**Author's End Notes:**

Announcer's voice: Here sayth Lord Fanfiction: You shall not have any interactive entry. If thou doest, we will cast you into firey hell and blot out your name out forever.

LoneWolf: Righto. I think "Lord Fanfiction" is cracking down on chat/script format stories, "improperly rated fics" growls), and "interactive entries," meaning replies and stuff. What is with them? Oh well, I cannot argue with "Lord Fanfiction," for he has the power to "cast me into firey hell and blot out my name forever." Meaning he'll delete me. Ah, I quiver in fear. Therefore, I've gone and changed all of my "reply to reviews" sections. Call me paranoid, but I don't wanna have another encounter with "Lord Fanfiction."

Side note: Wanna know what exactly is "chat/script" format, 'cause I think that's why all the symbols are down. But since I know how to get around that, they're gonna be super-mad if they think I'm writing in that "forbidden style," which I don't know about.

A HUGE HAPPY THANKS to **Hales731**(Hey! You picked that up!),** shadow/phantomness, Peggi, Swif, Good Question, Lara Chubb of Deephollow, Sylvia Viridian, DarkChao1663, Red the Lupine Dragon, CDRW, takuya, Lanane **(aka Syra Lebru)**, hobbit13, Jennilyn Maxwell, Isis-san, S.K. Hashmi, inuyasha0001, Saiyan Jedi, Silver Dragon Iron Claws **(aka SilverDrgnbane)**, Ybewd, Towairaito Zoon, Shibby-One, Mugendai,**and** Lome Roquen. **(Review replies have been moved to my website.)

LoneWolf: Again, happiest thanks to everyone. Thanks for reading this monstrous, plot tied fic. Again, sorry for the reply change; but hey, e-mail me instead. If I could hand out real Ebola plushies and cookies to everyone, I would. But instead, all I can give is a digital picture and a HUGE THANKS to all of you. Seriously, I wish I could say more.

Djanil: You've said enough.

LoneWolf: -.- Oookay then. (_covers head_) Major sorries for lateness, and killing of Jou-Jou. Like I said though, there is a reason. I'm really sorry for lateness, but school is being evil and college classes in high school are not easy, okay? Consider this fic to be a…bi-monthly or tri-monthly fic, looking back at how long I update. I do have an update section on my bio though, and that's kinda regularly updated.

OH! **Mugendai**, I told you! (_dances_) Sybil returnth! I told you she'd come back! Needed a place for that situation, and she just fit perfectly! (Well, beforehand I thought of a punk teenager/goth, but that just did _not_ work out.) So it took awhile, but she returnth!

Oh, and about Sybil…anyone get her disappearance? And the voices? Ah, connections, connections…

Ryou: Yea. More voices inside my head.

LoneWolf: But it's finally your part, Ryou! And Yugi! And…Kaiba! (And some Shadi on the side.) So, shining moments for Ryou, Yugi and Kaiba next chapter! Mysteries explained! A battle beginth and endth! …Oh, and Yami hurts.

Yami: (_groans_) I've been stuck here for twelve chapters, aka _one year_, can I get _off?_!

LoneWolf: (_innocently_) Want company? (_whistles_) Ravie!

Ebola Plushie: Wheeeee!

Yami: O.O Nononono_nonono!_

LoneWolf: Nice and comfy like, Yami. (_grins_) So next chappie, we deal with the present. Later, the past…and perhaps later on…the future?

And lastly, I'll share this: Quote from Giant Microbes website (public domain, advertisment), seller of Ebola plushies:  
_Since its discovery in 1976, Ebola has become the T. Rex of microbes. Share the love!_

Ebola Plushie: Kweeee!

LoneWolf: Now go and do likewise. XD Thanks ya'll, please review, and see ya later!


	13. The Seventh of Battle

LoneWolf: Heyla, everyone. Life happened and writing went through a whirlwind, but I survived and bring forth this next chapter of _Lethally Hot_!

Djanil: Which was supposed to be part of last chapter, but LoneWolf ran out of steam and ended it.

LoneWolf: Well, considering how long it took me to write this chapter, it would have taken over (_counts_) six months all together, which is positively evil to readers.

Djanil: …so they say. (_rolls eyes_) Enough rambling. Disclaimer…

Disclaimer: LoneWolf does not own YGO or biological weapons of any sort other than the common cold she got last month.  
Note: As of 4/29/05 this fic was edited, removing symbols and quotations. The original, now on mediamines has citations from:  
Willet, Edward. _Ebola Virus_. Diseases and People. Berkely Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2003.  
Former quotations have been eithier removed entirely or replaced with LoneWolf's own writing. Italized, impersonal, stuff is LoneWolf's own writing and not quoted anywhere else. //…// is yami to hikari; /…/ is hikari to yami. Warning: Somewhat stronger language will be used. Because Bakura is not a fluff-ball.

LoneWolf: Now stride forward, dear readers, into _Lethally Hot_!

* * *

_...Battle of mind, of soul, of the past..._

__

Chapter Thirteen: The Seventh of Battle

Doctor Seimei stared into what seemed like his fiftieth cup of coffee. Caffeinated coffee. Standard drink for all high-stress jobs and/or days. He inhaled the sweet aroma of coffee. Mmmm…

Another person poured a cup of coffee and plunked himself down in the opposite seat of Dr. Seimei.

"Seimei, I absolutely and positively hate idiots."

Dr. Seimei raised an eyebrow. "What do you need to rant about this time, Keni?"

Dr. Keni took a long sip of his coffee. "A guy came into ER and said there was something stuck up his butt."

__

"What?" Dr. Seimei coughed.

"And not just anything stuck up his butt," Dr. Keni added dryly. "A _cucumber_ stuck up his butt."

Dr. Seimei stared at Dr. Keni, who nodded. "Yep. And why was it there?" Dr. Keni made an impression of an old man. "Because I put it there! And I liked it!"

"You're joking."

"I wish I were." Dr. Keni drained the rest of his coffee, growled, and walked over to the coffee maker to get some more. Over at the counter, he continued. "So I had to put on gloves and pull it out." He grimaced. "Needless to say, it was not pleasant."

Dr. Seimei swallowed. "I am greatly disturbed."

"So am I." Dr. Keni walked back to his seat. A faint ringing sounded from his coat pocket. "Aw, hell." Dr. Keni put down his cup and pulled out his cell phone. "Hello, Dr. Keni speaking."

"Hello, Dr. Keni. It's Ishizu Ishtar."

"Oh, hello! How are you today, Miss Ishtar?" Briefly he looked up to Dr. Seimei and mouthed Ishizu's name.

"Fine, thank you. I have the translation for you."

"Already? Great!" He pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "What is it?"

" '_Cursed is every man who looks upon my creation. To see my secret is to die. He who looks shall be consumed by fire and ice. Terror shall seize him, for I am Apep's favored one.' _And then, in symbols that are _not_ Egyptian hieroglyphs, it reads, '_I claim this as my slave, my offering. I claim this as my revenge. Hail to the shadows.' _"

Dr. Keni scribbled it down. "That's odd. It's like there's some kind of terrorist or psycho-killer out there. Sounds like some kind of occult."

"Possibly."

"Alright then, thank you very much, Miss Ishtar. I look forward to speaking to you again."

"The same. Goodbye."

As Dr. Keni turned off his cell phone, Dr. Seimei spoke before Dr. Keni could say anything. "She knows your _cell phone number?_"

"Er…yes?"

"…Not asking." Dr. Seimei pulled over the pad of paper and read the message. "Hm. Now this is interesting." He tapped the pad with his finger. "First, a mysterious death. Now this message. It _does_ seem to be linked with some supernatural phenomena."

Dr. Keni scoffed. "_Actual_ supernatural phenomena? Please, Seimei. None of this mystical stuff. I say it's some kind of cult threat, taking advantage of this Ebola hype."

"It's possible…but there _have_ been some very strange events occurring around Domino." Dr. Seimei tapped his jaw. "Do you remember KaibaCorp's tournament? The one involving that new card game…Duel Monsters?"

Dr. Keni nodded. "Of course. Who hasn't?"

"Well, there have been stories, though I suppose they could be rumors, about some sort of supernatural phenomena actually occurring in that tournament. Some sort of group or cult called the Rare Hunters, something called 'the Shadow Realm,' lost souls, that sort of thing."

"You actually _believe_ that stuff?" Dr. Keni laughed. "Really, Seimei. Put some logic in there. Clearly this message is some sort of curse, a warning, and that can't possibly happen."

"Well, it _is_ a possibility. Tsuikyu _did_ die strangely."

Dr. Keni shook his head. "Forget it. Anyway, what about you? How's Ebola-boy doing?"

"Not well, if that's new."

"Can't help asking." Dr. Keni shrugged. "Though that's why you're sticking around, right Seimei? Because the boy is in your care?"

"Yes, probably because of my exotic diseases specialty." Dr. Seimei took another sip of coffee. "I've looked up Ebola a bit recently."

"So?" Dr. Keni questioned. "What about Ebola? What _are_ his chances?"

Dr. Seimei closed his eyes. "Discovered in 1976. Four strains, of which three are deadly to humans; fourth is not though possibly airborne. Vector unknown. No effective treatment. Typical symptoms are headache, flu symptoms, chest pain, thirst and extreme exhaustion." Seimei paused. "There was an interesting fact I found out though. You know how everyone says that you bleed all over with Ebola? That's not entirely true. Not everyone has hemorrhage."

But then he added, "The ones that do, die."

**x x x x x**

Kaiba stared. This couldn't possibly be true.

Why was the stone tablet from the Domino Museum here?

"That's– That's– that's the tablet from the museum!" Tea exclaimed.

Joey then added an eloquent, "Huh?"

The door, or entrance, or whatever, was made out of stone like the rest of the room. In huge, life-sized carvings of some pharaoh and another man, holding out their hands. Above them were two monsters, one appearing to be a dragon of some sort and a flying guy with a staff.

Then Joey began to see the resemblance. "No way! That's– that's you, Yuge! With the Puzzle and all that in some fancy clothes. And that's the Dark Magician. And the Blue Eyes White Dragon! And that," Joey pointed dramatically, "must be Kaiba!"

"It is _not_."

Everyone turned and gawked at Kaiba.

Kaiba turned around, hissing each word, filled with vehemence. "_That is not me_. I am not some priest, I am not some Egyptian reincarnation, I am _Seto Kaiba_, and that is _final!_" He was actually shaking, as if he were on his last straw.

Silence in the face of denial.

"Alright, Seto Kaiba, we understand." Yugi said, and walked over to the stone tablet, placing a hand upon it. He turned weary eyes to Kaiba. "But can we forget that and try to get past this?"

"Fine." Kaiba bit off.

The group gathered around the stone tablet. It was eerily realistic, with the likeness of Yugi and well, Kaiba in the center. Lettering bordered along the edges and in the center. However, unlike the tablet in the museum, at the top were not carvings of the three Egyptian god monsters but some strange inscription. And unlike the inscriptions in the center and at the top, which were hieroglyphics (for the most part), the lettering along the edge of the tablet looked a lot like the one found on the card of Ra…

"Weirdo…" Joey said, knocking against the stone. "Are we sure this is the door? I mean, maybe there's some kinda secret passage or somethin'…"

"No, this is the door," Ryou affirmed. "See, there's a crack right down the middle, and well…where would the passage be anyway?

Joey shrugged. "I dunno. Like in the corner?"

Tristan frowned. "Wait a sec. Tea, you say you saw this thing before?"

Tea nodded. "Uh-huh. I was uh, hanging out with Yami and trying to help him remember his past, and we went to the museum. You know, because they had that new Egyptian exhibit. We found this stairway going downstairs to the basement or something. And right there, in the middle of the wall was that stone tablet!" Tea lowered her voice. "Then this lady came out and said, 'My Pharaoh,' and guess who it was? Ishizu Ishtar!"

"Wha!" Joey exclaimed, and whirled around, jaw dropping. "Ya mean that same lady in Battle City?"

Yugi nodded. "Yes, the same one. And basically she told us that Yami was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who saved the world three thousand years ago and has to do it again today. And the answers we seek would come from Battle City. That's why we entered."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. _That's_ why he'd entered? Because he believed he was a pharaoh and had to save the world? If he needed any more proof that the people here were insane, this was it.

"So, this stone tablet has some kind of meaning from the past," Ryou stated. "Which is…what?"

"This stone tablet was created by the Pharaoh's greatest friend and rival, his High Priest."

Eyes turned to Shadi, who folded his hands inside his wide sleeves. Shadi continued. "Three thousand years ago, the Pharaoh sealed away a great evil to save his people. To do this, he sacrificed his soul and name. Before the Puzzle was shattered, the Pharaoh gave it to his High Priest, and the throne passed on to him." Briefly, his eyes flickered over to Kaiba, who was clenching his fists. "The High Priest never forgot his vow as a friend to help the Pharaoh pass on to the afterlife, but neither did he forget his vow as a rival to defeat the Pharaoh and rightfully claim the throne. And so the High Priest created this tablet, as a symbol of his vow as friend and rival."

"Whoa…" Joey breathed. "Three thousand years…"

Tristan fingered the hieroglyphs. "So, these must have some kind of meaning, right?" He turned to Yugi. "You know what this stuff means?"

Yugi shook his head. "I don't, and even if Yami did, he's…not really able to tell us."

"The hieroglyphs are a poem by the High Priest. A promise to the future." Shadi cleared his throat. "They read,

__

The Dead lay to rest  
The Flesh turns to sand, to dust  
Not even wealth nor sword can resist erosion by time…  
Such was the fate of this nameless Pharaoh…

We cry out  
The song of battle  
The song of friendship  
Guide us  
To the distant place of soul's crossing…"

Then a great many things happened.

**x x x x x**

Bakura blinked and opened his eyes to see shadows swirling around him. What the– He was back in the Ring! His mind ran over the last few moments of consciousness. Kaiba. Door. Presence. Light.

Damn that host of his!

Fuming, Bakura reached out and grabbed that hated link he had to his host. But before he began verbally flaying his host, he felt…something.

Words trickled its way down the link, and Bakura's mind chilled.

__

"…the fate of this nameless Pharaoh…"

No.

__

"… The song of battle, the song of friendship…"

He would not let this happen, he would not let that thrice-cursed Pharaoh win–

__

"Guide us…to the distant place of soul's crossing…"

He would not let the murderer Pharaoh get away–

Bakura screamed as he ripped his away into the open.

__

I will **kill** him!

**x x x x x**

The words intoned through Kaiba's mind.

__

"Such was the fate of this nameless Pharaoh…"

A flash of blue came between him and the rest of the world–

__

"Here, Seto."  
Young, mischievous face handed him something. Something cold. And wet. And–  
"A FROG?" (1)

Another flash–

__

"The song of battle…"

Shadow monsters coming to our aid, in our name, to do battle–

–like blue lightening–

__

"The song of friendship…"

Calling forth the Great One in my loyalty to him, the cry of wind and rain and thunder–

–glistening in white-glow–

__

"Guide us…to the distant place of soul's crossing…"

__

Palace. Darkness. The ride. Summons in the night. Sacrifice.  
"I swear my fealty to the Pharaoh of the Past and Future, He Who Commands the Wind…"  
"I swear it upon my soul of honor…"  
"We shall meet again, and finish…"

It all flashed before Kaiba's eyes, and for one brief moment, he knew.

__

"Yugi!" Kaiba roared._ "I- am- not- finished- with- you- yet!"_

**x x x x x**

Feeling of thunder without sound.

The Spirit of the Ring burst out, arms outstretched in rage. He leapt forward, with murderous intent, one hand flickering to the side–

Seto Kaiba found himself running towards the stone tablet –no, to Yugi–

Two beings screamed in defiance.

__

"I will **kill** you!"

"Yugi! I am not finished with you yet!"

__

–Shhhthunk!–

Time snapped back into place.

Kaiba breathed heavily, crouched over where he had shoved Yugi out of the way. Yugi lay on the cold floor, stunned as he watched the dagger meant for his heart quiver above him in the little crack down the stone tablet. Kaiba turned his head to glare with chilling cold eyes into Bakura's murderous ones. In a steely voice, Kaiba hissed, "_No one_ beats Yugi before I do."

Bakura laughed. "And why should I obey you?" He crouched down, ready to spring again, and flicked out his other hand, sliding the knife blade into his hands. "You know nothing, little man, a mere piece in the game…time for you to be eliminated."

He sprung forward, grinning maniacally as Kaiba noticed that he could not get away in time–

__

"No!"

Joey jumped and tackled Bakura, yelping as Bakura swore and slashed at Joey, ripping open Joey's T-shirt and leaving a trail of blood to ooze across his chest. Joey gasped in pain, clutching the torn shreds of his flesh. Bakura sneered, and kicked Joey away.

"Joey!" Tea collapsed over Joey, sobbing as she tried to staunch the blood. Tristan ran and stood over both of them, staring at Bakura eye to eye.

Joey coughed from the floor. "No one…hurts…my…friends."

"Hah!" Bakura tossed his knife, catching it as it flipped over. "Fool. You wish to die the same death second time?"

Tristan clenched his fist. "You'll have to get past me first."

Bakura flipped a finger. "Keh. I don't care about you." He spun the knife around, until the point stopped at Yugi's white face. "I care about _him_." He brought the knife to his lips and licked off a few drops of blood. "I have a very, very, interested care about the puny one's death."

"And why is that?" Kaiba asked in a cold voice. "What is Yugi to you?"

"To me?" Bakura laughed. "He is my bane and suffering of three thousand years. Because of him, all I had was taken away from me. I had a _chance_," he snarled, "at killing him three thousand years ago, but that damned Pharaoh got away. Well this time," Bakura gripped his knife and narrowed his eyes, "he's not going to get away."

"But– I'm not Yami." Yugi stuttered on the ground. "I'm…me."

Bakura barked out a laugh. "Does it matter? He is you and you are him. By killing you I kill the Pharaoh." He raised his knife. "And even if that does not kill him, I will have taken away everything he holds dear, for you are his one and only weakness…"

Then he smiled. A sick, twisted smile. And Bakura stepped back, and raised his arms. "So come to me, King of Thieves, Touzoku-ou, Stealer of Souls, Servant of Darkness. I call upon the Ravager, kindred being in blood-lust. I call upon the Ravager to destroy his soul!"

And the Ravager answered.

The screeches that haunted Yugi's mind grew louder until it drowned out all thought. Invisible wings beat the air, and ghostly shadows whirled and whisked around them, with the cry of dragons echoing in the chamber. They came in with the shadows, ephemeral as fog. It didn't matter that they were only shadows, mere spectral manifestations of its physical killer; they were terrifying all the same, flickering back and forth in unholy life. One Beast circled around Bakura, slowly bringing in more shadows into itself until it materialized. It curled its long, black body around him and unfurled its wings.

Bakura stretched out his arms. "Look upon your torturer, Yugi!"

Tristan gasped. "It's been _you_ all this time!"

"What, me?" Bakura smirked. "Ah, we're old friends. We go back a long ways. I didn't know he was still around." He looked over his shoulder and looked at the Ravager's cold eyes. "Though I suppose your kind are hardier than most, eh?"

The Beast hissed its amusement. Bakura smiled, and swept out his knife. "Do what you like to the others, but leave the little one to me."

With one screech in unison, the Ravager turned its bloodless eyes upon its prey.

Meet Fear.

They moved swiftly and silently, ravenous jaws gaping open to snap once and end it all.

Tea threw herself over Joey, trying to protect him, in an unconscious movement echoing the past–

Tristan clenched his fists, ready to protect them both with his bare hands and will alone–

Kaiba grabbed the knife in the stone tablet and stood over Yugi–

–And for the first time in his life, Shadi acted.

__

"Hold!"

The Ravager howled in the denial of its prey. Sparks flew where the Ravager slammed itself into the faintly golden shields Shadi created. One shield-dome pushed the Ravager out until it was packed between the chamber's ceiling and the shield, and another shield within the shield held Bakura within.

Bakura screamed and flung his knife, only for it to clatter against the shield. "_Damn_ you priest!"

Yugi turned wide eyes at Kaiba, then at Shadi. Shadi was standing there, hands folded into his sleeves, the Ankh shining behind them. And Kaiba…Kaiba was standing over him, one hand gripping a knife, feet planted firmly on the ground between him and Bakura. Both of them…had…saved him?

Slight pause. Then Kaiba turned his head just enough to look at Yugi with one eye. "Now that we have a reprieve of the insanity, I just want to enforce my previous position that I am not going to let you die before I beat you. That is it. That is _all_. Understand?"

His eyes, Yugi thought, told a different story. Swallowing, Yugi nodded.

"I hear a different tale, Priest." Shadi spoke. He stood with his eyes closed. "He is the Chosen One, soul-kin to the Nameless Pharaoh you swore your loyalty to. In this, by protecting him you protect your king."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed.

Shadi raised an eyebrow. "He is _my_ king as well, and I will guard him even when I am ashes."

The Ravager was hissing, circling around the shield just waiting for them to fall so they could reach their oh-so-close, delectable prey. They could see it, they could _smell_ it, smell that life-blood beating, _da-dum, da-dum_, pulsing with life just waiting to be ripped out and painted across the walls.

Kaiba stood with his back to Yugi, eyes following the trails the Ravager left in its wake. "Yugi. Since you're the one who brought us all into this, and the fact that Bakura seems to be intent on killing you, do you have any ideas?"

Yugi's mind was racing. The thought of Kaiba actually protecting him was practically inconceivable. Kaiba asking him for ideas was unheard of. _Shadi_, for once, acting when all he did was standby and look mysterious was completely against everything Yugi ever knew of the man. If someone had told Yugi that those said persons would act that way, Yugi would have questioned that person's sanity. Yugi almost laughed at the strangeness of it all, and barely caught himself. This was no time for hysterics.

There had to be something. Yugi could see Bakura pacing his enclosed circle like a caged lion, one who was very, very hungry.

"Ryou–" Yugi exclaimed, "he's still in there! It's the only way to keep him alive! We've got to get Ryou back!"

"Excuse me?" Kaiba raised an eyebrow.

Yugi swallowed and explained briefly. "Er…well…Ryou has a Millenium Ring like I have the Puzzle, and the Ring has a spirit inside it too, except this one happens to be bent on revenge. We call the spirit Bakura and um, the normal one Ryou…" If this was a test for Kaiba's seemingly changed belief-system, this was it…

Turning away, Kaiba muttered, "I thought 'Ryou Bakura' _was_ his name…"

Bakura seethed behind the shield Shadi had placed over him. The Shadows began ghosting over the edge, purple-black fire lacing up and down the barrier until it became a crackling dome of magic. That damned priest was going to _pay_. They were _all_ going to pay for what they did to everything he cared about. Yes, they would pay. With interest. In blood. Blood for the ninety-nine that _died_ that day…

"Seto." Shadi spoke, his voice unwavering. "I can hold him for only a short time. Whatever you were planning to do, act now."

It was then that Bakura screamed, and the shields fell down. Shadi collapsed from the pull. Bakura emerged from the glow, the Millenium Ring's pointers flying in the whirl of dark energy. He looked contemptuously at the fallen Shadi. "Fool. Did he not know that the shadows hunger still even when fed to gorging? You cannot hold back the shadows."

Bakura's eyes narrowed into slits. "Even the Ravager cannot be held back in its thirst for vengeance. For it is written,"

__

'The Ravager shall strike again.  
Unfulfilled vengeance does not die so easily.  
It shall return when its incarnate bids it.  
Until then, let the black breath be unleashed.  
All hail the shadows.'

"Thus it was written, and thus it was foretold. Foretold three thousand years ago, in the script of thieves, so that all who followed my path would know the secret of releasing the Black Shadow." Bakura's eyes pierced Yugi with absolute hate.

Yugi stood with his back against the stone tablet, frozen. Frantic thoughts ran through his mind. He couldn't save them, he couldn't protect them, he couldn't dare watch the dance of death beginning before him…

__

–What do I do I can't stop It Yami's not here I don't know what to do –Courage– what? Who? Sounds so familiar but how can I–

"Prepare to die, Yugi." Slowly Bakura reached behind his back, and when he pulled them back, two more knives were in his hands. The manic smile grew. "Prepare to die, all of you."

The Ravager fed on its summoner's rage. They wanted blood, dark red, fresh blood. Oh yes. They were _all_ going to die. Their eyes turned red, flickering with the lust for blood, the _need_ for blood. Murderous, burning red.

The chamber filled with a combined roar.

The Ravager dove down with the intent to kill.

Bakura leapt forward, arms flickering to the side, tiny knives ready to fly–

__

:Chosen!:

Without thinking Yugi raised up his right hand and screamed in a foreign language, _"Yalan i mórea istar!"_

And the Dark Magician answered his call. Purple robes swaying in an invisible wind, he pointed his staff at the enemy that dared threaten his master.

Bakura yelled as he was stopped in mid-leap by pure magic. He landed heavily; his knives' edges skittering against the stone floor. Purple-black streams of magic shot out of the Dark Magician's staff, making the Ravager scream in pain. The Ravager curled and writhed, and turned its eyes to its challenger. Deep purple eyes gazed at the beast before him. Raising up his staff, he called yet even more magic to gather in this chamber. The two great beings of magic stared at each other.

Bakura's eyes widened as Yugi's summoning brought forth the feared Dark Magician. How had he…?

The Dark Magician turned and stood by his master's side, arms crossed. Yugi gazed at him with wonder. Did he really…do that?

Bakura looked back and forth, from Yugi to the Dark Magician to the cold Kaiba in front of him. Each one of them stared back at Bakura with unflinching eyes.

"So, Yugi…you summon the servant of the Pharaoh…" Bakura laughed quietly. "Well then, shall we play? The Pharaoh's servant against the Ravager. Myself against the High Priest." He raised his knives. "Yes, we shall play, and whoever wins will lay claim to you, little Yugi…"

"You play a dangerous game, Bakura." Kaiba warned. He stepped forward, his single knife clutched in his right hand. "You will lose."

Bakura smiled. "That is what they always say." He bowed mockingly. "Before they lose."

The two began to circle, Kaiba always keeping Bakura away from Yugi.

The Dark Magician nodded once towards Yugi before moving forward. The Ravager growled, and met him head on with mouths full of fangs. They wove and turned in mid-air, tracing elegant trails of crackling magic…

Bakura grinned. He could easily kill the fool in front of him, just by using a touch of magic or throwing a knife, but where would the fun be in that? The High Priest gave him much grief in the past, and Bakura would have his fun.

Kaiba glared at him, the knife trembling in his hand. "Ryou, you are not going to get past me."

"And what makes you think that?" Bakura laughed. "He is dead to you, little man. Nothing you do can bring him back unless I will it."

Kaiba's eyes flickered. "Ryou! Do you hear me?"

Tea closed her eyes in absolute terror. She could feel the Ravager ghosting over her and the cracks of reflected power in the air. Joey clutched in hand in weak assurance as blood continued to seep out the impromptu bandage made from Tea's orange vest. Tristan gritted his teeth. "Come on, come on…"

"Do you know what you did, Priest?" Bakura taunted. "Do you know you have blood on your hands?"

Kaiba ignored him. Inwardly he was struggling for words. He couldn't believe he was trying to recall the words Yugi spoke to the apparently mind-controlled Joey during their duel. Somehow Yugi had done it, and now he had to do the same… "Break free of him, Ryou!"

Bakura snarled. "He is mine! You dare try to turn him from me?"

"He is not yours, Spirit of the Ring," Yugi spoke, and stepped forward, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Ryou was never yours in the first place."

Above them were the cries of battle and crackling rays of dark purple and red-black magic. The Dark Magician sent spell after spell, and many of the Ravager died, but more came to take their place. The serpentine beasts circled around the lone Dark Magician, teasing him, tearing parts of his robe off and playing with the bits. It would be over very soon now. Soon he would tire, and they would feed…

"Do you hear that, Yugi?" Bakura taunted. "They are keening in anticipation. Soon your precious magician will be a shredded playtoy."

"My magician will not fall." Yugi said simply. "I put my trust in him, and in Ryou."

"Bah! That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!" Bakura sneered. "Trying to call back Ryou is like trying to call back the shifting sands of Egypt. They will come and go to no one's command."

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow. "To yours, as well."

Joey cracked open an eye. "Ya hear that? Ryou ain't yours."

Bakura growled. "He is _mine_, mortals! Mine! Mine to take and own, as I will take your life!" The Millenium Ring glowed, and rays of blue light shot of the pointers and hit the Ravager, making them glow in an unearthly blue light.

Yugi's eyes widened. He could _feel_ the magic, feel the magic strengthen the Ravager. Bakura was using the Millenium Ring to power the Ravager further…soon Dark Magician would be overpowered. Yugi gripped his own Puzzle, and tried to strengthen his own magician. But his mind was weary, and he did not know how to use the Puzzle…

Bakura jabbed a knife forward. Kaiba barely managed to dodge it, and tried making a retaliatory swipe. Bakura easily sidestepped Kaiba's attempt and stepped forward, locking their knives together. The two looked into each other's eyes.

"Prepare to die!"

The Ravager darted forward, towards the Dark Magician's heart–

Yugi's mouth whispered words he did not understand–

–"_Túla, vaiva_…"–

Bakura whipped one knife across Kaiba's hand, sending his knife flying–

Winds suddenly came and swirled around the Dark Magician, winds of magic–

Bakura reversed his knife and hit Kaiba in the stomach–

The winds brought with them strength–

Kaiba fell to the ground in shock–

The Dark Magician swung his staff and blocked the Ravager's attack–

But now there was no one in the way of Bakura. Yugi stepped back, only to stop against the stone tablet. He was trapped. Laughing, Bakura reached forward for Yugi's throat–

**x x x x x**

Ryou floated among the shadows, not even trying to wade through them.

He'd been here countless times.

There was no trying to break free.

Oh, he _had_, once or twice. Not often. Not likely.

Or, as the spirit put it, not ever again.

He should have been in his soulroom. His nice, safe, small soulroom. With a nice, safe, lock on the door.

He should have known that his yami would find a way to circumvent that.

Now, it was only by the generous action of his yami that Ryou would wake up from this nightmare and find himself in his soulroom. His yami couldn't hold him here for long, because eventually the magic would fade and he would be in his soulroom, but until then Ryou was stuck in a fog of shadows.

Sometimes, if he tried hard enough, he could see. That was when he had more strength. Sometimes he heard voices.

But now, he was tired, and he would have to wait.

Laughter.

His yami's laughter. He could hear chanting.

__

"All hail the shadows…"

__

"Ryou! Do you hear me?"

Yes, he heard them. He just couldn't do anything. He was just too tired to care anymore…

__

:Awake!:

Ryou blinked. Who said that?

__

"He is not yours, Spirit of the Ring…Ryou was never yours in the first place…"

__

"He is mine_, mortals! Mine! Mine to take and own, as I will take your life!"_

Ryou's mind began to rebel. He, his?

__

:Sleep no longer!:

__

"Trying to call back Ryou is like trying to call back the shifting sands of Egypt. They will come and go to no one's command."

"To yours, as well."

And Ryou _remembered_.

Pictures of the Ravager and knives and Bakura's plan. He saw his hands snap forward to knock the Priest down and the spirit reaching forward for Yugi–

No!

Ryou's eyes flashed, his will returning. His mind was his own!

The shadows writhed at this new attempt from its captive.

Ryou struggled against his bonds. This time, he would break free! With a mental cry Ryou broke the bonds that held him and he fell in his soulroom. Ryou shook his hair out of his eyes and scrambled to his feet.

He ran for the door. Out there the spirit was going to kill and Ryou had to stop him!

**x x x x x**

Yugi's vision filled with Bakura's wild, mad eyes and his clawed hands reaching for his throat. He was going to die–

The Dark Magician _felt_ his master's mental cry for help. With a cry he pushed back the Ravager with his staff, and summoned the power of the wind around him. Raising up his bitten staff, he shouted one last incantation.

The winds _roared_, and they too cried out for a need to rip and tear. For now the winds had teeth, and they turned and bit into the Ravager. The Ravager screamed in pain. The winds whirled into a cutting tornado, and they slashed and tore and raged, until the Ravager lost its hold and fell back into the shadows. The Ravager snarled in its retreat. They would be back.

The Dark Magician calmed down the winds and flew down towards his master, but he knew that it would be too late–

For a moment, Yugi saw death.

Then suddenly Bakura's eyes flickered, and he faltered, and instead of crushing Yugi's throat he slammed into the stone tablet.

The Dark Magician came down to stand between Yugi and the crazed madman. Eyes wide, Yugi stepped back and hid behind his magician as he watched Bakura rise shakily.

No, not Bakura…_Ryou_.

The Dark Magician leveled his staff at Ryou, ready to blast him. Yugi pushed the staff away, and the Dark Magician gave him a look of annoyance. Yugi reached out a hand. "R-Ryou?"

Ryou looked at Yugi wearily. "Hey…" Then he grimaced, and fell to one knee. "He's trying- to break- free–"

//_Yadonushi!_ You are _mine!_//

/I was _never_ yours./

Bakura's eyes widened as Ryou fiercely fought for control. Ryou clutched his head, his face twisted in pain.

For a second, Bakura clawed his way back into control. His mad eyes met with the Dark Magician's purple ones. …Those were familiar eyes. He'd seen them before…on that priest…before he'd taken the–

__

"You!"

The Dark Magician nodded his head slightly, his eyes darkening. This was the thief Bakura, the one who had stolen the Millenium Ring. Though his scar was gone and his skin paler, his aura was still the seething fire of revenge…

With the spirit distracted, Ryou broke through. "Yugi! I can't…hold him…much longer…"

Yugi ran forward and grabbed Ryou's shoulders and looked into changing, turbulent eyes, shifting from Ryou's softer, terrified eyes to Bakura's raging ones. From one firestorm to another, Yugi could see the warring minds. One fighting in fear and pent up anger, the other with sheer power and hate.

Ryou groaned and slipped further, practically resting in Yugi's hands. Yugi shook him. "Ryou, keep fighting!" His face darkened as he saw the Millenium Ring begin to glow. "Spirit, release him!"

The Dark Magician looked closely at this new boy. This one…was different. This one had no lust for revenge, no dark desire to kill. Just acute terror that the thief would be released and more death would follow.

Then the Dark Magician pulled back his staff, stepped forward, and tapped Yugi on the shoulder. Yugi looked over to see the Dark Magician smile, point towards the Millenium Ring, and open up his hand, palm up.

Yugi's eyes lit up. The Dark Magician must want the Ring for some reason. Maybe he could help Ryou. Yugi's hand reached for the Ring. Suddenly the Ring pointers flared and Ryou grimaced as he heard a flaming round of curses. Yugi frowned. Perhaps only the Ring-bearer could hold the Ring when the spirit was…obstinate…about transfers. He shook Ryou again. "Ryou, give him the Ring."

Ryou frowned in confusion. "What?" He looked at the Dark Magician in slight fear.

"I think he can help."

Wincing as Bakura screamed another round of blasphemous epithets, Ryou tugged on the cord that the Ring hung on. His muscles strained between two warring minds, and sweat trickled down Ryou's face.

"You will not…best…me."

Impatient, the Dark Magician flicked his hand. The Ring flew over Ryou's head and landed softly in the Dark Magician's hand.

The pointers flared and waved, and the Dark Magician's mouth quirked up slightly as he heard even more creative curses coming from the spirit of the Ring. He folded his hand around the Ring, feeling the magic aura of its power once again. Yes, he knew this Ring, knew it well…knew how darkness had been woven into its making long before even his time. There was one way to make the Ring…behave. Holding his staff over the Ring, he hissed a command.

__

"Lóre."

The pointers stilled. The Dark Magician handed the Ring back to Ryou, winking. Ryou put it back on confoundedly, as now the Ring was…silent. Again. Like the spirit had been subdued or put to sleep or…something.

Yugi looked at Ryou questioningly. Ryou shrugged his shoulders. "He's…quiet now."

Before Yugi could say anymore, the Dark Magician clasped Yugi's shoulders firmly and turned him to the fallen Kaiba at the tablet footsteps.

Kaiba coughed out blood, his pupils pulled into tiny dots from the pain. With a gasp he yanked out the knife and felt a gush of blood pour out between red fingers–

"Ooooh, man." Tristan groaned, and ran over to Kaiba. "He wasn't supposed to do that." He took off his jacket and tried to staunch the bleeding.

Yugi inhaled sharply. The Dark Magician led him firmly to Kaiba though, and pointed to the Millenium Puzzle. Yugi clasped his hand around his treasured possession. "Wha- what do you mean?"

Joey stumbled over towards them, leaning against Tea. He looked down at Kaiba, who was curled in over his wound. "This ain't good." He looked at the Dark Magician. "Not to mention weird."

Shadi stirred from the ground and woke up with a pounding headache. He cracked open one eye to see a strange gathering at the threshold of the stone tablet. Something like blood, and the Chosen One, and the One-Who-Is-_Not_-Insane, and the Dark Magician. Ah. He closed his eye. Maybe he'd just go back to sleep…but with a groan he pushed himself up and made his way to the rest of the group.

Everyone was taking things so cavalierly it might have looked like they didn't care. But that was because they'd been through so many wild things in the last three minutes that anything else was just– whatever. Like their minds were overloaded, so now they were in a state of numbness.

The Dark Magician pointed to the Puzzle, then at Kaiba. Yugi looked at his Puzzle. "You want me…to heal him?"

The Dark Magician nodded.

"But I don't know how to use it!" Yugi protested. "I can't–"

"He's not going to live if you don't try," Tristan interrupted. "Gut wounds are nasty."

Yugi swallowed. "I'll try." Closing his eyes, he tentatively placed a hand on the eye symbol of his puzzle and reached out mentally for that same power he'd inadvertently used before.

He felt a light presence in his mind, and it gently guided him to a certain part of the Puzzle. Once again, words unbidden formed from his mouth and spoke.

__

"Elessa."

Power flowed from the faintly glowing Puzzle to the stab wound. First he mended the torn veins and capillaries back together, growing them back into the thin intricate net of blood vessels. Then the bruising and lacerations healed, along with the torn walls of the intestines pulling back together. Muscle reformed and pale skin stretched over the hole, until all that was left was a shiny white scar.

When it was over, Yugi fell down heavily, exhausted. He didn't think his legs would support him anymore. At least that was all he had to worry about for now. The Ravager had receded from his mind, and Yugi no longer had to put up a barrier to hold onto sanity.

Kaiba stirred, and moaned softly. Dazed, he sat up and looked down at his stomach to where there should have been a nasty hole. Beneath his torn shirt was smooth flesh. Well. This was…interesting. From the corner of his eyes he could see the Puzzle glowing. Oh great...he hadn't– He had. Great. Just great.

Tristan picked up his blood stained jacket and groaned. "Aw man, this was my favorite jacket too…"

The Dark Magician looked at Tristan in amusement. He stamped his staff on the ground, and Tristan looked in amazement as the blood on his jacket…melted away. The blood on the ground streaked and coagulated, until it too melted and disappeared. The Dark Magician smiled, and crossed his arms. And then he just– vanished.

Ryou blinked. "How'd he do that?"

Yugi's mouth twitched. "A magician never reveals his secrets."

"Yeah well, now that the whole fiasco's done, can we open the door and get this over with?" Joey drawled. "I'm getting tired of surprises."

Yugi stared at Joey, with the faint red line underneath Joey's T-shirt. "Joey! You're hurt–"

Joey waved a hand. "It's nothin'. Rest a bit, Yuge. I can handle it."

Ryou walked over to the stone tablet. "Well, it's back to this guys. Somehow we've got to get this open."

"Oh joy," Tea muttered.

The rest of the group walked (or limped, or crawled, or in some way) made their way to the stone tablet. Everyone just stared at it blearily.

Ryou fingered the center inscription. The one that had been on the other six doors, in thieves cant. "Well, now we know what these mean." He grimaced. " _'All hail the shadows…'_ "

Tristan patted Ryou's shoulder. "Not your fault, man. Besides, you showed him, hey?"

Ryou rubbed his head. "Yeah…"

Shadi pointed to the poem inscribed at the top. "The poem I read would be the hieroglyphs up here. However," he pointed up higher, to the writing that lined the edge of the tablet, "these glyphs I do not know."

Everyone just stared at Shadi for a moment.

"Whaddya mean, you don't know 'em?" Joey shook his head. "Figures. All this way and we're stuck."

"I understand them," Kaiba said in a monotone voice. "I know what they read."

No one said anything in sheer shock. Kaiba stood up slowly, and gazed at the tablet. The thing that haunted his dreams. And today he had seen more things that would haunt his dreams. Perhaps one day he could convince himself that they were fantasy. But for the time being, they were true.

"Know this: I am Seto Kaiba. Nothing more, nothing less. The past is behind me, and nothing will change that." He paused. "The future is fluid."

"Thank you, Seto Kaiba," Yugi whispered in a voice only Kaiba heard.

Kaiba's eyebrows twitched. Then his mouth opened and ancient words in a language he once long knew came out.

__

"En khenmes-ee wab-ee: medew, khenmes, a'q…"

__

To my friend and priest: speak, friend, and enter…

The door opened with a swirl of shadows to reveal the last and final memory.

**x x x x x**

The Ravager is not happy.

And when the Ravager is not happy, no one is happy.

This is the beginning of the end.

For which, that is the question.

Tick.

* * *

****

Author's footnotes / comments:

(Note 1) Based off of **Lizeth**'s fanart called "For You." Don't own. Very funny. Totally Seto and Yami. It's on her deviantart site, and she has _great_ art. Link: http / lizeth . deviantart . com . (remove spaces) Looklooklook!

(Note 2) The cucumber incident was based on a real-life story. Told to me by an ER physician. One thing I cut out…the patient had diarrhea. Enough said. XD Very funny when he told it to us.

(Note 3) Right. The poem. Based off of the YGO manga; Battle 264 "The Entrusted Card." I had two conflicting versions of this poem. Couldn't figure which one was right. One I think was a more literal Japanese translation, the other more lyrical. So what I did was try to put the two versions together to convey the idea I wanted. -.-;; Ended up being the first half of the poem was one version and the second half the other version. Dunno if that worked. (In any case this version of the poem is mine, so there is no fanfiction(dot)net quotation violation.)

(Note 4) Okay, I guess the biggest question is what the heck is Yugi and the Dark Magician saying? My answer is…something! Okay, what they are speaking is like…a magical language. You know, the cliché use of magic words and all that. Except it _is_ a language, like ancient Egyptian is a language. And no, I did not make up the words/language; I used an actual language. Kind of. The grammar is probably all wrong, since I have only dictionaries (which conflicted over each other) and a few guidelines on grammar. I would have used Egyptian except I couldn't find the words I needed. Anyway, there _are_ clues to what language I used/where it came from. One (vague) clue is in the inscription Bakura said. The second, bigbigbig hint is in the incantation Kaiba read out loud. And the third is really my fault and another big clue: The word "istar" means "wizard"; I could not find the word for "magician." And that's a clue to what Yugi actually said. This language will have connections to the next chapter.

(Note 5) Gut wounds. Not pleasant. Very bad. Your intestines are delicate things, very fragile, and contain volatile stuff, like bile, acids, and undigested food. And if ripped out, the small intestines are about 6 m long (20 ft). Try putting that back in– if possible. Basic first aid states that if you are impaled, especially in the gut, don't pull it out. The very thing impaling you is the thing holding your intestines inside your body and not out the hole the impaling object created. Once removed…not pretty. Major puncture wounds are very difficult to stitch up. Even today, surgeons still dread treating stab wounds more than lacerations. Think about it. Imagine something cut off versus smashed in. It's going to be relatively easier to put back the cut pieces together than the smashed stuff.  
So Kaiba really shouldn't have pulled out that knife. But then again, who wants a knife in their stomach? XD Okay, medicine lesson over.

LoneWolf: And now, for your reading enjoyment, we haveth…*drumroll* **Bloopers, Cut-Outs, and General Mishaps**!

Bakura crashes into the floor…for the third time.  
"&!), woman! Why do I have to keep getting knocked into the ground!"  
Djanil looks from the side. "Because the authoress has no creativity? Because you can't kill them yet? …Or perhaps it's her weird way of getting back at you…"

"Yugi!" Ryou cried out. "Attack me now!"  
Yugi blinked. "I have this weird feeling of deja vu…"  
LoneWolf: _(falls over)_ Cliché, I know…

Then the Dark Magician pulled back his staff, and stepped forward. Ryou looked at him with slight fear. But instead the Dark Magician smiled (a frightening action in and of itself, but that's beside the point) and said with all seriousness, "The authoress thinks you're cute."  
LoneWolf: WHAT! X.X

Perhaps only the Ring-bearer could hold the Ring when the spirit was…obstinate…about transfers.  
Bakura regained control. "No! Not my preciousssss! Nasty hobbitss, trying to take the precioussss!"

Kaiba's eyebrows twitched. Then his mouth opened and ancient words in a language he once long knew came out.  
_"Open Sesame!"  
_LoneWolf: (_raises hand_) Okay, who totally saw that coming?

Djanil: …You are disturbing, LoneWolf.

LoneWolf: As always. ...(_blinks_) Oh. My. Word. I finished it.

Djanil: Yes, you did. …Next chapter.

LoneWolf: (_facefaults_)

Bakura: (_snickers_) That's what you get for slamming me into things.

LoneWolf: (_moans_) It was so…complicated. You know how many rewrites this took? How many cut-and-paste rearrangements I made? First it was knife fight first, then summoning, then chant, then it was chant and summon, then it became double summon, and then Ryou had to enter the scene, and…oh man, this was so confusing.

Djanil: (_crosses paws and rests head_) Anyway, LoneWolf apologizes for the somewhat overused plot elements. She has tried to make it original as possible but so many stories have this sort of thing that it's hard to make it original. (_raises eyebrow_) So she tried putting them _all_ in, and this is the sad result.

LoneWolf: Mrph. This chapter would have been _so_ much easier visually. It is so much easier to have simultaneous events on a screen than on paper. Next chapter should be much easier. Very linear. No simultaneous battles, no multi-events, everything is one-on-one…

Yami: Joy. Because I'll be able to do something instead of lie in bed.

LoneWolf: I wanna sleep…anyways, hope you guys liked this chapter. I really tried to make this original, with summoning and Ryou asserting himself and _not_ saying, "attack me! It's the only way!" (ever notice that this seems to be happening frequently in YGO? First Ryou, then Malik, semi-Joey, Yugi…) but I don't know if this all flowed well. Plus, Kaiba is just…Kaiba.

So…may the next chapter be fruitful! Next chapter…Yami knows the cure works. Now to administer it to all of his people…More battle, more fun. Fear. (_waves_) So tally ho! Happy New Year y'all, and pleaseth reviewth, and ja ne!


	14. Completion of the Seventh

Toboe LoneWolf: Kwee! I come forth and offer this next chapter of _Lethally Hot!_ May it appease those who wait way too long for my sad attempts to write.

Djanil: (_nodnod_)

Toboe LoneWolf: -.-; Well, carrying on I suppose…

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf in no way shape or form owns YGO or ancient Egypt. But she does have a devious mind. Muhaha. (_thud_)

Toboe LoneWolf: (_whips out bull-horn_) Due to fanfiction(dot)net policy, I no longer can use quotations, song lyrics, etc. other than public domain works. THUS ALL QUOTES IN THIS FIC, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT CHAPTERS, HAVE BEEN REMOVED. Instead I have replaced them with my own attempts. Needless to say, I was not pleased, but I hope that this chapter is still acceptable enough for you readers. The original format can be found at mediaminer(dot)org under the same pen name.

(_puts bull-horn down_) So, back on track…it's back to the past, eh? Considering that it's been two chapters since memory time, you might want to re-read the memory from chapter 11. …Then again you might not; because Jonouchi died…(_looks at mad readers_) Meep! I told you, there's a reason! And it's in this chapter!

* * *

__

…Let that which was Lost be Restored…

Chapter Fourteen: Completion of the Seventh

Seven is the Perfect Number. The number of perfection and completion. The perfect, magical number of completion, of closure, of ending. Fiat.

Standing before them are the seven. Seven in the past, seven in the present. Seven of the yet to come.

Seven Millenium Items. Seven memories.

Let it be completed.

****

O

Dead.

It wasn't possible. He couldn't be. He wasn't _supposed_ to be. He was supposed to bounce back up and laugh it off and tease Seto and Seto would retort right back and everything would be the same. I managed to deceive myself until I felt warm liquid trickle down my neck. Then I could not hide from the truth anymore.

Jonouchi…was dead.

I rolled over from underneath his body. Stared at it, seeing the blood puddle grow from Jonouchi's body. My own hand crept behind me and felt the wetness on my back. Drawing it back, I could see blood on my hands. Jonouchi's blood.

It should have been mine.

"_No,_" I whispered in horror. "He's not…"

"He is."

I did not need to look up to know that Seto had turned his back to us all. Shoulders tense, voice hardened.

"The fool." Seto's voice cracked. "_Schti._ Always trying to play damned heroics. Jonouchi, you--" He bit off his sentence, stiffening, and said no more.

Through the Puzzle I can feel the Shadows pulse in the presence of death. I clenched my fists, fighting tears. I cannot afford to cry. I am Pharaoh, and I must…not…show weakness. I _cannot_. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the scene before me.

A single tear escaped.

__

"Here is Death,  
Like the smell of incense  
Sails away in the breeze."

I turned to see Shadi softly singing, the Millenium Ankh glowing. His voice trailed off, and Mahado took up the next phrase.

__

"Here is Death,  
Like the shade of nightfall  
Covers one's eyes."

To my surprise, Seto joined in the song, his low voice harmonizing with Mahado's and Shadi's. I could hear faint music, coming from Isis, or perhaps it was a lone musician out in the night, singing his own song of lament…

__

"Here is Death,  
Like an abandoned road  
Leading towards home."

We sang our friend home.

Home, to the Fields of Reeds, where the sun is ever warm and bright, where all is well, and all is joy, and all is clear at last.

__

"Here is Death,  
Like the night sky  
As one sees that  
Which he does not know."

The last notes faded into silence, calm, into peace.

But in the land of the living, there could be no such thing.

Wordlessly Seto walked over to the black-clad man. Bending down he roughly pushed the dead body over with his staff. Flicking his staff once more, the limp arm flopped off the chest and revealed a tattoo etched on the inside of the forearm.

The mark of the snake.

I stood up and looked closer. The snake seemed to glow in the night, curled around the man's arm; its silvery scales etched with ink and the eyes black as kohl. I bent down and summoned a small amount of Shadow to my hand, stretching it out to sense if there was anything of the magical realm that linked this mark.

And the snake _hissed_, and its eyes turned red, and for a second I swore it writhed in anger.

Like the mark was alive…

I pulled back my hand and dispatched the Shadows.

"Sobek's belly," Karim swore. "The mark…lives."

Shadi frowned, and summoned another one of his searching light-globes. It chirped, and hovered over to the dead man where it touched the black mask. The light-globe darkened, and chirped sadly.

"It cannot identify the man," Shadi translated. "All it can find is that he was sent." The light-ball chirped agreement before disappearing.

"They must have been covering up their trail," Mahado said. Then his eyes widened. "Then that means--"

Seto summed it up. "They're coming."

"Now?" Karim pressed.

Akunadin's Millenium Eye glowed, and he Saw what we could not see. His face paled. "They come, Pharaoh. I know not _what_ they are, but they come."

Isis hissed. I turned to see Isis clutching the Necklace with one hand, rays of light shining from clenched fingers. Her back was ramrod straight, though quivering. "They come with anger and revenge…and lust for blood," Isis spoke in a trance. "They come to stop He Who Heals…" Then with a sigh the Necklace released her.

Isis shook her head. "A thousand images, a thousand paths…"

"And which one is the true one?" Seto pressed.

Isis glared at him. "I cannot tell. The future is fluid. All that I can see is the shifting patterns, the balance that rides on man's decisions." Her eyes met mine, and refocused, all intensity meeting with mine. "And you are the fulcrum on which it balances."

Its weighted meaning hung in the air for a long moment before settling on my shoulders.

I closed my eyes. Breathed. Felt the heavy weight of leadership hanging from my neck, shadows circling the Puzzle, my symbol, my power, my bane.

What now? What now, Father?

__

"Son, listen to me. One day I shall become Osiris and you the new Horus, reborn. You will become the protector and leader of Egypt. The people will look to you. Do not fail them."

I clenched my fist. "Let's go."

Akunadin frowned. "To where, Pharaoh?"

"To the temple of Amun." I turned at the doorway. "We have what we came for."

To save Jonouchi, only to lose him.

"I will not allow another one of my people to fall. Now. We must go."

Slowly my priests got up and gathered around me. Mahado stamped his staff against the ground, and the blood receded and vanished. The blood on our clothes seeped out and disappeared. Then Mahado bowed his head and raised his staff. A soft golden glow surrounded Jonouchi's body.

"His _ba_ will not be defiled." Mahado said softy.

I bowed my head as well. Stretching out my hand I whispered, "May Ra grant that you see Aten and behold Khons forever; my Osiris welcome you in the Land of Vindication, may your soul go forth to every place which it desires…"

Be free, Jonouchi. Be free. May your soul find its rest in the heart of light.

I swear that I will save this land of mine.

The Great Temple of Amun lies in the outskirts of the city, close to the Nile, and thankfully away from where people slept, with an enclosure wall further separating the temple. The priests that stood watch over this temple had either fled or been persuaded to leave. It would not be good for them to witness what was to occur.

We stood inside the depths of the temple, past the sixth pylon, in the center of the Chapel of Amun. Bordering the court stood two great granite pillars within the court bearing the floral emblems of Upper and Lower Egypt, one to the north, the other to the south. The walls are painted with exotic animals and plants. At the north side are two great statues of Amun and his wife Amaunet.

I knelt in front of the majestic statue of Amun. There he sat in human form, seated upon a throne, skin as blue as lapis lazuli, serene as a calm breeze.

"Amun give me strength," I whispered before the alabaster altar at Amun's feet.

"What are we doing here?" Akunadin asked. He crossed his arms. "Yami, how in Ra's name are you going to protect Egypt against the Ravager when it requires us to individually to alter the defense in every citizen of Egypt?"

I turned to face Akunadin. "You forget that I Am Egypt."

The priests were silent as my decision sank in. Seto gasped. "Pharaoh, that's insane. To be the conduit of all that Power? It will kill you, or at best drive you mad."

I stared into Seto's eyes. They glared back, defying me, pleading with me to not do this thing. I turned away.

"I am Horus on Earth. I am the son of Ra. I am the falcon, invisible as the wind, darkness of Ra. I swore that I would protect my people, and I will not break my oath."

Closing my eyes, I prepared myself for what was to come. I, as Pharaoh, was linked to every grain of sand of Egypt. Through the link that bonded me to Egypt I would protect my people. Through me, my people would live.

I drew the dagger at my side and held it out in front of me. "I come with heart of righteousness."

Behind me my priests spoke the words of ritual. "_Medew-ef ma'at_." _He speaks truth_.

"I come in the name of the Light."

Again, my priests chanted, "_Medew-ef ma'at_." _He speaks truth_.

"I come so that the Sacred Way will be opened."

"_Medew-ef ma'at_." _He speaks truth_.

Magic swirled around us with each cycle, filling the air, summoned by the words of old. They sparkled with light and shadows, flickering around me. The shadows writhed, questioning the one who summoned them.

With that I slashed open my left forearm, letting crimson blood fall onto the pedestal at the feet of Amun. "_Ii'ee ten r'hat em Heru Athelas, Nebti Ammon, Heru en Nebu Tehuti, Nesew Beet Yami-Ra, Sa Ra Atem_, that I may deliver my people!"

__

"Hail!"

Bound by calling and by blood, the shadows flocked to the open flesh in my arm—

—and entered me.

A torrent of shadow magic coursed through me, surging down every vein and particle of me. From there my six priests linked in with me, pouring down their own magic. The blood that stained the pedestal at Amun's feet called forth the stored magic that came from the sacrifices laid before it--

—and all of it, all the magic, poured down and into and through me. With a cry I melded the magics together, and then reached out for the link that bonded me to Egypt, the link that had been forged when I became Pharaoh—

With a snap the two parts connected. Pain seared through me with blistering agony so great it stopped being "pain" and became something else.

I could see nothing now, nothing but color and light, swirls and cascades and light-shadows reflecting in my mind. The light was something I could hear, the rushing and roaring of dragons. The colors I could taste, of blood, of copper, and scorched stone.

I became a vessel for the power, able to only direct its flow. It burst open the barrier that kept me separate from the land of Egypt, and I became Egypt. I _was_ Egypt. I heard every cry, every wail, every tear that fell on the Black Land. I _felt_ their fear and despair, their terror that came from things unknown, that Ra would never rise and we would live under a blood-red moon in darkness.

The land itself cried out to me, burdened with the weight of years of bloodshed and fighting, years of being torn by monsters of another realm, and now with this fresh deluge of blood of its own people the land struggled to stay…sane.

The earth can only bear so much.

And I, as Egypt, took Egypt's burden as my own.

My priests buckled under the weight of magic, struggling to control its flow. The magic was no tame stream, for it was the magic that flowed through all of Egypt -- through _me_. It was if the Nile was flooding down my veins, powerful and untamable.

I fell to my knees, under the strain of so much magic bearing down on me. The Puzzle glowed almost white-hot against my chest, blazing as it focused the magic. I held out my arms to hold the magic steady.

The magic flooded like a torrent of rain. I poured it into the ground, deep into the bedrock, letting it merge with the foundation of Egypt. I felt the stone tilts beneath me buckle and rupture open, blowing up dirt and sand, showering my face. Still my priests chanted.

Vaguely I could feel my six priests shaping the magic that ran through me. They chanted once more, and with each resounding succession the magic…shifted inside me. Something new, something different, something the land had never experienced before. The land did not welcome this change, for it was strange, and with each refrain the earth convulsed.

__

"Let the waters run forth!"  
"Hail!"  
"Let the earth shake!"  
"Hail!"  
"Let the fire blaze!"  
"Hail!"  
"Let the wind howl!"  
"Hail!"  
"Let the waters be still!"  
"Hail!"  
"Let the Darkness come forth!"  
"Hail!"  
"And may the Light endure forever!"  
"Hail!"

Focusing the energies together, straining against the resistance to change, I completed the spell.

__

"So let it be!"

With a quiver, the earth subsided. The tension that had built up ran out, letting the flow of magic shift and run through all of Egypt. Like rain the magic softly poured down, soaking through the earth, restoring that which was lost. I dropped my outstretched arms and simply knelt, letting the intangible rain run, soft and sweet against my soul.

Slowly, the magic released its hold on me. It still lingered in the air though, residue from the powerful magic we had just worked.

I opened my eyes to find myself kneeling in a small crater. The sheer amount of power focused in one spot had shattered the stone tiles and dug a small hole to about the level of my waist. I stood up, trembling. Bringing my hands together I closed my eyes and spoke the words of closure.

"It is finished, Amun the Completed One. _A'b, sha-i._"

The magic sighed and dissipated. With effort I managed to pull myself out of the hole at Amun's feet. I picked up the dagger I had dropped on the side of the hole, sheathing it at my waist. I turned to see my priests in varying states of exhaustion.

"Well, we did it," Seto panted.

Mahado pulled himself up with his staff, leaning heavily. "Do you sense it, Yami?"

I cocked my head, listening to the invisible. "The flow? _Hai_. Like the inundation it goes. Soon all of my people will be protected."

Seto stared at me. "Yami, what is with you and foreign words?"

"Eh?"

He shook his head, and as he did so his eyes lowered. "Your arm—!"

I looked down at my left arm, where I had cut myself. The cut had healed, though it left a pale scar. On the outer edges it was lined in black, reminders of the shadows that I had called.

I traced the faint scar. "Healed, Seto. This will fade in time."

Shakily we walked out the temple. It was still dark out, though the ominous red moon was fading. Soon Ra would rise upon a new day. We made our way to where we had tied our horses, outside the courtyard of the temple. The horses were restless, tugging against the binds. We were about to mount and ride back to the palace when suddenly Wahankh reared and screamed a challenge, facing the east.

"Whoa!" I struggled to pull Wahankh down as he strained to break free. "Wahankh, _hold!_" The other horses began to shift, fighting my priests.

A piercing scream ripped through the air. It howled, so loud that nothing else existed except that raging fury. Fury of being thwarted…

__

"What is it?" Seto yelled. The horses screamed in panic, rearing against their traces. "_Akunadin_, _what do you See?_" He fought to control his horse.

"_I cannot! The way is blocked!_" Akunadin covered his face, the Millenium Eye blazing through. "_A shield of magic—_"

Wind thrashed around us, whipping our clothes around. Then the earth began to rumble and quake. The horses, their eyes bulging with fear, ripped the reins out of our hands and ran wildly. Even Wahankh turned and ran—

__

"Tyelar!"

The horses froze, and stopped moving. Mahado turned with his staff still glowing with magic. The earth continued to shake, the sands rolling in its shudder, and with each passing moment it seemed that the earth itself quivered in fear of what was approaching…

Then, a man emerged from the shadows of the east. He was clothed in the robes of foreigners, though his robes were ebony-black. Every part of him was sheathed in clothes of black. Only his face was uncovered, showing pale-white skin, as if he never walked under the sun. The face was narrow, pale and piercing; his eyes burned with rage.

"You _dare._" He spat out. "You _dare_ defy my working." He walked forward three steps, and then raised his right arm. Shadows swirled around his black-gloved fist.

I stepped forward. "Who are you?"

The man barked a harsh laugh, like a raven. "I?" He swept down his arm, and shadows flamed around him before circling upward. Then the shadows condensed, and slowly the form of the Ravager appeared. It unfurled its wings and gave a silent cry to its brethren.

To my horror, they answered.

Emerging from fallen bodies and the mouths of dead babes the Ravager came, ranks upon ranks of the Beast. They floated in the air behind the man, staring with dead eyes.

The man held out his arms. "I am he who created these."

Seto stepped forward, holding out the Rod in warning. His eyes flashed. "Your creation is nothing."

"Oh?" The rage returned. "My creation is more than mere nothing." Again, his swept down his arm. The Ravager gave a collective, silent cry. Then they broke apart, and dove down into the earth—

—opening their mouths wide—

—biting, and _holding_—

I inhaled sharply as the flow of magic, the magic we had created to protect my people, was jarred to a stop. Seto looked back furtively.

The man laughed again. "You may have found a way to bar my creation, true. But my creation can bar your own defense before it can take effect."

"Who are you, _shem'a_?" Seto demanded. "Speak!"

"Foreigner? I think not." The man held out his hands, a single dragon-beast slithering around him, fangs glistening in the red moonlight. "Once, I was one of your people. Once I was the son of a poor herdsman in the village of Kuruelna."

Behind me I heard Akunadin's robes rustle.

"And on a dark day, at the height of the night, everyone of any worth in that village was sacrificed in death to summon powers they should not have." The man spat. "Those with _worth_. My family was worth nothing, and they were thrown to the side. They had no burial, no ceremony to lead their ka back, and only I survived.

"You ask who I am? I am no one. I am worth nothing in your eyes, son of a herdsman.

"But in the future, when you have died and your sons have died and not a single stone remains on your grave, your name forgotten to the ages, you will know me as _Marad_."

My eyes widened.

I _knew_ that name.

It came in the dreams, of a young boy with an innocent face. Of a white-haired thief and a game of death.

Seto frowned in confusion. "Marad? What is the meaning of that?"

Marad's eyes flickered to mine. "_He_ knows."

I answered, not taking my own eyes off his. "Yes, I know you, Marad, _Disease_."

Marad bowed mockingly. "The Hunter recognizes his own. But enough of this," Marad gestured. "Pharaoh, we seem to be at an impasse. You cannot allow me to unleash the Ravager, and I cannot allow you and your people to walk free." Marad smiled. "So I challenge thee, Pharaoh."

"What?" Seto glared. "You dare challenge the King of Games?"

Marad looked at him, amused. "I can and I will, foreign child of a foreign whore." He ignored Seto's low growl. Drawing up his hand, he cast aside his cloak. Beneath he wore clothes that lay tight against his thin body, and once again were dyed as black as the night around us.

"I challenge thee, King of Games, Son of Ra, Wielder of Shadows. I challenge thee to a game of skill." His hand reached to his waist. "I challenge thee to sword and sorcery."

"You. Would. _Dare_."

Seto stood in front of me, trembling with rage. "Yami, let me. I will _gut_ him." He brought the Millenium Rod up and unsheathed it, revealing the long dagger.

"No."

Seto looked back at me, incredulous. I nodded, slowly. "This is my fight."

"Pharaoh…" Isis breathed.

The rest of my priests protested, arguing that it was too dangerous to fight Marad alone. Both Mahado and Karim stepped forward, intent on fighting Marad themselves. Magic cracked around Mahado's staff, and Karim drew his own sword.

I shook my head. How could I tell them? I had seen this before in my dreams. In the dreams, he had come from the shadows and challenged me, and I had always answered. What was the outcome, I did not know. This, though, was the beginning. This was the beginning of my fate…

Seto turned around and grabbed my shoulders. "Yami, do you know what you're saying?" He hissed. "You are going to fight him one-on-one? Are you insane?"

My mouth twitched. "You have always answered in the affirmative to that question."

"Ya_mi!_"

"Seto, I know what I am doing." My voice hardened. "I know what lies before me." My eyes turned to Mahado and Karim. "This is my fight."

The two bowed and stepped back. Seto's eyes pleaded with me, begging.

__

Yami, please.  
Not today, Seto.  
You go to your death.  
This is not my time.  
…Pharaoh…  
_High Priest.  
Damnit Atem, I won't let you do this!  
I know.  
…Tell me.  
_Athelas.

"_Hem-netjer-tepey_, I _will_ heal my people."

Seto stepped aside. "Then so be it, _per-a'a_."

As I walked forward, the Ravager increased its howls. The one serpent that had curled around Marad unwrapped itself and unfurled its wings, challenging. Marad spread his arms. "So what say you?"

I raised my right hand. Magic flashed around my fist. _"Ii en-wi!"_

From the west came the cry of the falcon, diving out of the sky and swooping down in its unstoppable dive. It flared its fiery wings and screamed defiance.

Calling forth my avatar was my answer to Marad's challenge; now we were both bound to the duel by the rites of magic. Both of our avatars dissipated, though I could feel the Ravager's waiting presence hovering around us. Marad grinned, fangs bared as I clasped my hands together and called forth the shadows, forming them into a half-dome behind me. Marad did the same. Where the shadows met they writhed feverishly, and altogether the two of us stood on opposite sides of a dark dome of about five horse lengths in diameter. Now we were bound to this duel, trapped and shielded from the outside world until one of us died at the hands of the other.

Drawing my sword I dropped the scabbard onto the ground. It would not be needed in this duel. I gripped the handle with both hands, with the blade held at the vertical in front of me, taking a wide-legged stance. The Puzzle swung slightly from my neck.

Mockingly, Marad did the same, casting his scabbard aside into the sand, revealing a strangely curved sword.

A word echoed through my mind, words that I knew only in dreams.

__

Katana.

Marad shifted his feet, and smiled. "So come, Pharaoh. Let us play. Let us see if Khepri will rise this day."

For one brief moment, everything was still.

The next, nothing was.

Marad had challenged me not only to a duel of swords, but a duel of sorcery.

Only a few are able to wield both sword and magic. Each requires years of rigorous study and practice, and it is rare that a person can master both. There are connections, of course, between the two, such as channeling magic through swords or forging magical properties into weapons, but usually a person masters one and learns only a little in the other, enough to be able to defend against the opposite learning.

The time and skill required to learn both meant it was a rarity for someone to do so; it required intense training almost after birth (it is astounding how much one can learn in sleep). I was one of those few, as befitting as the future Pharaoh. Seto was another. I knew of no one else; my teachers were masters in one school and not the other. Seto and I would have to integrate lessons ourselves, creating our own theories and strategies on the fly. In the practice ring we tested each other, honing both sword skill and shadow skill, and trying not to kill anyone else in the process.

The thought that this person, who was the son of a herdsman, and most likely had no formal training, could wield both sword and magic was almost impossible. That he had learned such spoke of dangerous prospects.

That he held a sword that I knew only in dreams was another.

__

Katana, I knew of. Long, slightly curved, two handled; made of steel, a metal unknown to Egypt. On the other hand, curved swords themselves are not foreign to Egypt; we use them hand in hand with the straight-bladed swords. My own sword was a straight, two-bladed sword; forged with the same metal as the Millenium Items. I knew my blade's possibilities – thrusting, stabbing, crossguard and half-sword techniques, along with the slashing style – but of this foreign sword, I could only infer that it would be used for slashing like our own curved blades.

Still…how Marad had managed to acquire a sword I only knew in dreams troubled me.

I knew very little of this man, nothing of his sword style or his school of magic, and yet I was to duel him—to the death.

We clashed with the sound of metal against metal. I lunged with a straight thrust, and he blocked it swiftly, turning his blade over. Whipping his katana back around, he rained swift overhand blows, staccato sparks digging into metal. Stepping forward into Marad's attack, I trapped his blade with my hilt.

Our faces were a palm's width apart, locked blades straining. Marad's keen blade scraped against mine. My arms strained.

"Like what you see?" Marad spoke conversationally. "I had this blade made specifically for you, Pharaoh. Nice edge, hmmm?"

I glared back, my feet trying to find a better foothold against shifting sand. "And what should I have expected, Marad?"

"Something worse?" Marad smiled. Trapped body-to-body, Marad began to use his superior height and weight to bear down on me, pushing me to one knee. "After all, it was I who killed your dear friends—"

Gasping I broke away, dropping to the ground and rolling. Marad struck as I got up, swiping at my exposed shoulder. Bringing my own sword up I managed to block his with a clang.

"It was _you!_" I snarled. "It was you who killed Jonouchi, and Anzu, and Honda—"

Batting his sword away I lunged forward again. He sidestepped and returned with a slash at my chest. At the same time, he lashed down with levin-bolts - bolts of pure magical energy. They shuddered against my shields, threatening to crash through and incinerate me. I strengthening my shields, and by channeling magic down my blade I cut through his attack.

"Oh, only two of the three, I'm afraid. One of my accomplices did the other." Marad continued smiling, even as his attack was parried. He turned and slashed again. "But it was a brilliant plan, I must say. Killing off your friends, so that you would lose faith, and become enraged—"

Growling I beat back his sword, and making a half turn I reversed my grip and attacked Marad in the opposite direction. Marad's eyes widened as he hastily withdrew. Back and forth we parried and countered, foreign metal singing against foreign metal in the dance of death. Parry, riposte, and counter. Our minds were almost merged with our blades, simultaneously controlling magic and sword. Lethal magical chains broken by physical swords, there was almost no thinking at all. I dodged Marad's swipe at my right leg—

__

—What?

I barely managed to dodge Marad's second blade. It sliced through my tunic. I slid back, regaining my footing.

Marad stepped back, now holding two swords. One forged of steel, the other of magic.

"What, Pharaoh? Surprised?"

I smiled back grimly as I backed away, trying to get more distance. "Hardly."

This time Marad charged at me, using a two-sword style. I stood firm, grasping the hilt with both hands, choosing to met Marad only one blade.

My mind was the other.

As Marad reached me, I called down lightning, letting the metal in my hands bring out its greater brother. The hand of Obelisk crashed down and split against my sword, turning into a multitude of electrical, grasping fingers. Thunder reverberated and boomed around us, arcing towards the target.

In response Marad called for the earth to rise, creating tall pillars of rock that absorbed my attack. Maneuvering around the shifting dirt, he continued his offensive. As he moved forward, huge cracks made their way towards me, widening and shaking as the earth cracked open, threatening to swallow me.

I reached deeper, and called for the sleeping rivers of the earth to rise up. Geysers of boiling hot water burst through the cracks Marad had opened, flooding towards him. The water turned the broken ground into mud, filling in the cracks. Twisting my hand I turned the water into whirlpools and waterspouts, rushing to trap Marad.

With a shout Marad changed the field again, summoning vegetation to grow and choke off the water supply, vines lengthening and tangling. Strange plants grew feverishly, branching and thickening with sharp tines, weaving themselves together into a mat, with reaching vines grasping for something to grip, choke, and impale.

Whipping my sword around and hacking off the heads of a few bloodthirsty plants, I summoned fire to the field. It tore through the plants like a ravenous dragon, roaring with rage and flame and hunger. Little blossoms of flame danced around me, floating in the air, twirling around my fingertips. Choking black smoke filled the field, and Marad cried out as the flames licked at his feet.

Marad was only two sword lengths away. Snarling Marad threw his hand down and drew out the heat of the fire by the power of sheer will. Choked, the fires burned down to embers, then to cold coals. By then he had reached me.

He came at me with whirling blades at my throat. I blocked one, his blade skittering down to stop at my hilt, and called forth Chain Energy to bind his other hand. Breaking free, for a moment I had a breath's respite. Marad shattered his bonds with a wrenching of his wrists. Twisting, I turned my sword down and over, blocking Marad's cut to my side.

Taking one step even closer, Marad used the rebound of his blocked attack to come around in a circle to my other side. At the same time he dismissed his magical sword, using his free hand to summon more of the Ravager. Emerging up from the ground they moved to bind me.

Stepping back, I raised my blade to block his, letting it slide past. As the Ravager began to curl around my legs, I _pushed_ outward with my mind. The Ravager burst into little pieces.

We slid apart, heaving for air. Pulling back my sword I stood in half-guard. Marad did the same, shifting his weight to his back foot. Crackling balls of shadow energy surrounded our clenched fists.

The hordes of the Ravager returned, gathering behind Marad. I summoned multitudes from the realm of nothingness. With a collective cry our summoned armies joined battle.

All around us were the cries of dying creatures, flesh being ripped open or blasted apart. A howl by Silver Fang haunted above the carnage, before stopping suddenly as the silver wolf snarled and slashed open one of the Ravager who veered too close to pointed fangs.

I lunged forward, breaking Marad's attack. Recovering, Marad swiped at my face. I ducked, feeling the whish of a lethally sharp blade over my head. Pulling my sword back, I charged at Marad. I heard a satisfying _oof_ as my shoulder rammed into Marad's stomach.

On the other hand, the Ravager was winning against my army of monsters. I saw Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast fall, the Ravager wrapped around its wings, fangs sunk into the chimera's shoulder. Celtic Guardian fell, the sword dropping from his fingers as the Ravager hissed amusingly.

In desperation I called upon the Swords of Revealing Light to stall. For a moment, it seemed as if it worked, the Swords freezing the Ravager. Then the Swords shattered, and the Ravager moved once more.

Marad laughed as he got up from the ground. "Ah Pharaoh, will you never learn? The Ravager was made to destroy, to hunger for blood. It will not be denied."

"Neither will I." I hefted my sword and faced Marad. "Behold, traitor. I will not let my people die."

Holding the sword vertical I cried to the heavens, _"I summon Osiris, the Sky Dragon!"_

A bolt of lightning cracked down in answer.

The air filled with red as the Egyptian god emerged. Great wings unfurled, and the wind howled as Osiris whipped his tail around.

I fell to one knee, gasping. The magic required to summon one of the gods drained a great deal of me. I would not be using any magic anytime soon.

Marad froze and stared. But then he began to laugh. Slowly at first, then louder and wilder. Arching his back he crowed in hysterics.

"Pharaoh! Do you think that the gods will save you?" He turned feverish eyes on mine. _"Even the gods fall to sickness!"_

In horror I saw the Ravager undauntedly attacking Osiris. Osiris roared, and many of the Ravager fell, but the Ravager dug deep scores into Osiris' flesh.

Marad turned and leveled his katana. He spoke now in a calmer voice. "Disease is the Great Leveler. Everything falls in its path; there is nothing that can stop its wake. This is what it has been for centuries; this is what will be for centuries more."

I struggled to my feet. I did not have much longer. Osiris may or may not win against the Ravager. I had to slay the source.

Narrowing my eyes I calculated quickly. Marad wielded the katana in a quick-flowing manner, using the torque of his grip as well as the turning of his waist. His footwork was short and almost shuffling at times, letting him work inward where the katana's sharp blade would be deadliest. On the other hand, my sword had more reach – barely – and Marad did not seem to defend well against the half-sword techniques, where I would grip the blade itself and use the hilt and pommel.

Gripping my sword two-handed, I shifted to the offensive. I came at Marad using whirling pattern-dance, gambling on one last attempt, carving shining circles in the air, greater and lesser circles threatening to slice off Marad's head.

Snarling Marad held his ground, the swords clashing with a jarring screech of metal. Sliding sideways he made an over-and-under cut, moving to disarm me. Whipping my sword down and up I trapped his blade. Shifting to the left I turned my hand, gripping my sword with the pommel. Inside his guard I punched Marad in the chest. Marad stumbled back, stunned. Reversing my sword I ran Marad through in the chest.

Marad collapsed, taking my sword with him. He looked at the blade in his chest with glazed eyes.

"Ah. You win, Pharaoh."

The Ravager screamed as they disintegrated. My hand twitched as the magic was released. Once again the healing magic flowed. The shadow walls faded. The monsters who had come to my aid bent their heads in a miniscule bow, and then returned to the shadows. I raised my hand to Osiris in acknowledgment. Furling his wings Osiris disappeared.

I turned to Marad. He twitched once. His voice came hollow, empty, dead. "Read the prophecies, fool. I am only the messenger."

With that magic flared around Marad. In one huge conflagration his body burned until only a few blackened scraps remained. Gripping the hilt I wrenched my sword out of the earth.

The last of the shadow barrier died away. Turning back I saw Seto grinning like a fool.

In shock, I saw the crowds behind him.

The people stood in awe, tear stained and silent. The people I had saved. A mother raised her baby up in the air. The babe giggled and pointed his chubby fingers to the east.

"Ra! Ra!"

The mother beamed. Behind me I felt Khepri's welcoming rays on my back. Ra had safely traveled through the night. He had not been devoured by Apep, serpent of the night.

Seto raised his fist. _"Athelas!"_

The people answered. "Athelas! Athelas!"

I raised my right hand. My eyes met with Seto's.

__

You did it.  
Of course I did. What did I tell you?

"Athelas!"

****

O

__

At the level of tiny proportions, the final cell was unlocked. Silently it emerged from the shadows, the mark of the Rod branded in its center. It gathered its folds and moved outward.

It ruthlessly destroyed the Ravager as it passed by, calling forth ancient power. Dark and prone to brooding, the last of the seven came to stand at the Commander's side.

Here I am. Send me.

The Commander nodded briefly. Finally, they were all here.

Finally, true war would be unleashed…

****

O x x x x x O

Malik browsed his family's underground library, fingering the spines of old, translated texts and worn manuscripts.

That warning. It was so…odd. For one, the script was fairly modern – the warning had been a mixture of old hieroglyphs and modern thief-code. Why in the world would anyone do that? Someone _must_ be after the Pharaoh; after all the media hype and that warning, there could be no doubt. But with that ancient writing…that someone must have ancient knowledge, along with connections with modern thieves. Someone _else_ other than Bakura and himself who knew of the ancient past?

Thus, the reason Malik was roaming the library. Perhaps there was something in here…

His candle wavered, and as the light flickered, Malik glanced down at a thin volume.

__

A History of Plagues and Diseases Afflicting the Black Land. By the scribe Aker. Translated by Abasi Ishtar.

That had been his father…

Intrigued, Malik reached down and pulled out the book. Perhaps this would have some connection to the modern disease attacking the Pharaoh now. He walked over to a nearby desk, placing the candle into a holder for some light. He sat down and opened the covers.

Inside was a translator's note. Pushing away unwanted memories, Malik skimmed his father's brief summery.

__

An interesting account of various plagues and afflictions of Egypt, along with a documentary of cures and medicines for them. The scribe Aker seems to have a background in the field in medicine to write so authoritatively.

Hmm… Malik flipped through the pages, searching for some section around the time of the unnamed Pharaoh. Ah, there.

__

In the second year of his reign, a terrible disease ravaged Egypt. It is said that people died by the hundreds. Accounts have described symptoms such as coughing with blood, vomiting, diarrhea, and curious descriptions of people dying within days, blood spreading everywhere. How this was possible is unknown, for as suddenly as this disease appeared that the disease vanished. Documents record the disease lasting from two to three weeks. It is said that the Pharaoh delivered his people and healed the land, and thus the disease left.

Due to the short duration of this plague, not much is known. This is a song that was written shortly after the disease's sweep, and apparently exalts the Pharaoh's healing abilities.

__

"When all hope fails…  
Cry Athelas! Cry Athelas!  
For He shall come, our Deliverer,  
Born a Healer and a king."

Malik closed the book. This was interesting. Picking up the candle he walked towards the stairs, carrying the book.

"Ishizu? I found something interesting…"

****

x x x x x

The Way is shut.

Tick. Tock. Time.

Their time is up.

Ding!

* * *

****

Footnotes/Explanations:

Elvish (Quenya):  
_Tyelar!_ – Cease, third person plural (I hope)

Egyptian:  
_Schti_: transliteration - sxty; translation - peasant.  
_I'ee ten r'hat em _— : transliteration - ii-i Tn r-Hat m; translation - I come before you as –  
_medew'ef ma'at_: transliteration - mdw-f mAat; translation - He speaks truth  
_A-b, sha-i_: translation - Cease, I command  
_Shem'a_: Transliteration - Sm3; translation - Foreigner  
_hem-netjer-tepey_: transliteration - Hm-nTr-tp.y; translation - High Priest  
_per-a'a_: transliteration - pr-93; translation - Pharaoh  
_Ii en-wi_: transliteration - ii n-wi; translation - Come to me  
_Abasi_: (name) Stern

On the Subject of Swords:  
Yami uses a European style, two-bladed, hand-and-a-half sword. Marad uses a katana. Before anyone says that one or the other would totally pulverize the other, may I remind you that Yami is not a knight, and Marad is not a samurai, and neither use a "typical" sword or typical "style." Also, katanas, though famed for "cutting through metal," cannot cut through _everything_ like butter. With that said, I have done hours of research on the Internet and books from the library. General consensus on the outcome of a knight vs. samurai is…you can't tell. A nice link about this is: www . thearma . org / essays / knightvs . htm (remove spaces).

On the Subject of Pharaoh Yami's Full Name: _(Please visit website for full explanation. Too long here._)

****

Bloopers and Author's Weird Thoughts:

Holding the sword vertical I cried to the heavens, _"I summon Osiris, the Sky Dragon!"_  
And thousands of Kuribohs came down.  
Marad died in fits of laughter.

"MUHAHAH! Impaled on your own sword!" (…I won't say which…)

Congrats to the four reviewers who knew what language I was referring to…**Dark Kuriboh Empire**, **Sylvia Viridian**, **Silver Dragon, Iron Claws**, and **Saiyan Jedi**. You four have much _saila_. (_winks_) Also, (Side note) Major apologies to **justareviewer**. Um…your e-mail address didn't make it through the fanfiction(dot)net pulverizer. It got killed after the "at" symbol. Put a space after the "at" and I think it'll work.

On that note…seriously guys, I am open to all e-mails or instant messages. Even if it looks like I am a mad torturer bent on spreading Ebola to the world in this fic, I will not flame you to little burnt pieces for trying to contact me. On AIM I'm toboelonewolf, and I'm planning to get a hotmail account when I get to college. Due to fanfiction(dot)net restrictions I can't reply in depth like I want to…any questions, comments, all-around-bugging is free to come (just not spam, viruses, or worms XD). (_waves to **Slider202**_) Heyla! See? Up like I told you! …In ages… XD

****

Author's End Notes:

Toboe LoneWolf: (_falls over_) It. Is. Finished!

Djanil: (_twitches_)

Toboe LoneWolf: Yeah, yeah, I know. Ohmyword I took five months! I changed my pen name! I took forever! (_bashes head_) GAH!

Righto. First off, the quotation-and-symbol-and-review thing. Fanfiction(dot)net pulled out a surprise notice and said no quotations, other than public domain works. So…all of my lovely, carefully selected quotations have been removed. I have replaced some of them with my own writing…but still. It's not the same. The songs have also been removed, and that makes me mad, 'cause I had them in there for a reason, and not just because they sounded nice. Symbols are also changed because it would have taken too much effort to keep them with all the editing I had to do, plus the fact of a bit of info I found. Review responses are not smiled upon by the administrators of fanfiction(dot)net, and thus those too are totally removed (other than the original thanks). I'll be revising my work here on fanfiction(dot)net slowly, I got most of the stuff but I need to do a bit more editing since I used old stuff. Anyway, the original format is on mediaminer(dot)org. Same pen name (Toboe LoneWolf), same title. … (_whips out bullhorn again_) Ya hear that, money-grubbing lawyers? I FIXED IT! HAH!

Second thing. As to why I took so long. Three words. End Of Year. That means projects, AP tests, college acceptances, finals.

Third thing. This chapter. Ohmyword. If the last chapter was bad…this ranked right up there. All first person? A huge battle scene? GAH! I thought I was done, until I read my outline notes! I had to think of some creative way to describe a magic-and-sword battle! (_thud_) If I have made the battle scene the appropriate length, I will have succeeded. If I have made this not cheesy, I will have surpassed.

Djanil: If you continue to wail, I shall bite you.

Toboe LoneWolf: (_looks up_) …I would say, "You wouldn't," but I know you would. Dang. (Djanil: -grins-) So anyway. I hope you readers are still out there, what with fanfiction(dot)net changes and my long wait. Hope y'all liked it, and rest assured, I am alive and I shall continue. I would say more but this "end-note" stuff is getting pretty long. This chapter is chock-full of references. Again, please go to mediaminer for the original chapter. There I had an actual Egyptian poem and a quote from the _Return of the King_. Over here…(_sighs_) A sad attempt to write poetry.

Next chapter…Yami time! Biology time! …_WAR!_ (Djanil: (_facepalms_)) Will our beloved yami survive, or is it too late? The clock has rung. The time is running low. The gang is stuck. XD Prepareth for a battle of microorganismal proportions! Ja ne!


	15. Biological Warfare

Toboe LoneWolf: Behold, I liveth and emerge before school starts. Let us celebrate.

Djanil: …Don't count on it.

Toboe LoneWolf: Pessimistic as always. (_glances_) Don't bother trying to answer Djanil; I know what you'll say. (Djanil: XD) …Yes, last chapter had many, many loose ends. I now attempt to tie a great deal of them. Some, I'm afraid, will have to remain loose until later. (_winks_) So without further ado…_Lethally Hot!_

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf does not own YGO or Ebola Domino, but she does own an adorable Ebola plushie named Ravie.  
_Notes_: All quotes in this chapter here on ff(dot)net are in the public domain. For full chapter, go to mediaminer (there's like, two extra quotes from _The Hot Zone_ over there). General Sherman fought in the American Civil War way back in 1865; his stuff is _definitely_ public domain.

Ravie: Squeeee!

* * *

__

War is Hell.

__

Chapter Fifteen: Biological Warfare

Yugi drifted between what-is and what-is-not.

Yugi felt the others break away from the memory, felt them leave and sink back into their own minds. He felt the Ankh pulling them back into their bodies, but it faded away. The memory had a stronger hold onto Yugi, and Yugi…was a bit blurred around the edges. Still in the memory-flux, and yet having the sense of _self_… It was like the times when he truly merged with his other self, and there was little distinction between the thoughts of what was the past pharaoh's and what was his own…

Perhaps it was because he was bonded to the Pharaoh that this, the last memory, did not release him quite yet. Carried along, Yugi saw briefly what the next memories in time held.

He saw the procession back to the palace, the people cheering in triumph of their king—

He saw the massive mourning funerals of the unsaved, heard the wails once more, the Pharaoh raising his hand to calm his people, making a speech for the future—

He saw the Pharaoh privately ride back to the now deserted house, their bas already carefully wrapped and buried as friends of the Pharaoh, and in the privacy of being alone, saw the Pharaoh finally break down in tears and weep—

He saw the future, yes—saw the Pharaoh wake up in the middle of the night, caught within the vision of a white-haired thief—

He saw that same thief brashly enter the palace grounds, right up to the throne, and demand—

__

—Sssthunk!

Abruptly Yugi was wrenched away from the memories. Vaguely he felt a foreign power moving against the borders of his mind as he sensed the sound of a heavy door closing. It was _then_ that he realized that he had learned Yami's true name—

**O x x x x x O**

__

It was against the odds from the beginning.

The Ravager had multiplied a thousand-fold – and more – and had set up camp virtually everywhere. Every organ was on the road for failure. Blood vessels already weakened to the point of nonexistence, fluid flowing everywhere except where it was supposed to, and the Ravager stampeding through the rest.

Their defense? In shatters. Already weakened by the Ravager, poisoned by the chemicals the Ravager pumped out in their converted factories, the once stalwart defenders were broken and lost.

This is what the Seven had before them.

One by one they had appeared, unlocked as the memories were unlocked. Like puzzle pieces snapping together, the Seven fell one by one into place, and began to hold the strained defense together. Waiting for completion, they recruited, trained, and drilled. Quietly they built up their forces and made guerrilla attacks, trying to hold on until all of the pieces were in place and the Web fully remade.

The Commander surveyed it all. Reaching into the Web he contacted each of his generals. One by one they responded, each giving their report. Finally, the message the Commander had been waiting for arrived. In person.

—Here I am. Send me.—

The Killers are here.

At long last, the Commander sent out the signals, ordering for the release of the secret reserves. Now was the time. Now was the time to unleash it all.

This would be the last stand.

**O x x x x x O**

Yugi regained his senses floating in mid-air.

Well. Call _this_ an out-of-body experience.

Arms outstretched as if he were flying, Yugi was floating over his own body, near the ceiling, in the spectral form that his other self usually took. He could faintly hear the beeping of the machines and the slow, rattling breath of his other self. Though Yami lay in the hospital bed completely still, Yugi felt a pang in his stomach with each shuddering breath.

Perhaps it was a blessing that Yami remained unconscious.

Yugi frowned. Why in the world was he, well, floating around like this? Shouldn't he be back in Yami's soulroom, like all the other times? Or even, his own soulroom? It wasn't that their bond had been severed; he could still feel it. Yugi tried recollecting what had just happened. Kaiba speaking, the memory, then…Yugi remembered a flash of light and a few pictures, but for some reason it was all fuzzy. Shuffling through again, he noticed that the memory _itself_ was a bit blurry at times. The part where the Pharaoh had slashed open his arm, for example. He'd said _something_, but Yugi couldn't remember _what_. Or at the end, when all the people were shouting. _Athelas_. Yugi knew it meant something, _used_ to mean something, but…what?

In the end though, none of this helped Yugi figure out why he was floating outside his body. He tried returning back to his soulroom – but he was blocked by a mental wall. A wall that felt like…the Puzzle. As if Yugi were blocked off by the Puzzle itself…

Yugi floated in the air, frustrated, and quite unable to do anything. It was a bit of a shock to see Shadi walk through the wall and stand beside the bed.

"Ah, I see. He has not awakened yet." Shadi looked up at Yugi. "You will need to help him, Chosen One."

"What?" Yugi blinked. All right, that was weird. And the most appropriate thing to say to a guy who's just walked through a wall and seen you when you're incorporeal was: "You can see me?"

Shadi smiled. "I can see many things, Chosen One." He motioned with his hand. "Come down."

Yugi focused and gently descended, coming down to sit cross-legged above his body, a mere hands width above. "What do you mean? We found all seven doors; everything should be set-up. Shouldn't he be okay now? What about the others? …And how'd you get here anyway? Didn't they see you?"

Shadi fingered the Millenium Ankh. "This allows me to be unseen to the physical eye, among other things. The others are back in their own bodies, recovering from their venture. To your first…" He looked down at Yami. "The Ravager already has a foothold. Although powerful, the immune system we have unlocked begins at a disadvantage."

He raised a hand to Yugi's automatic dismay. "However, you may be able to put them at an equal level, so to speak."

"…How?"

Shadi looked at the boy in front of him, invisible to the physical world. Young, and yet old, his wisdom gained from a mixture of games, stories, friends and a link to the ancient past. A boy foretold in the prophecies, the successor to the Shadow Games, He Who Commands the Wind. A boy who wielded more power than he knew. He carried both burden and blessing, and it would be he, the prophecies said, who would be called the Healer, though the true name had been forgotten.

If the prophecies were true, now was the time to prove it.

"You have used this magic before, Chosen One. Once to hold the Pharaoh's mind together. Another, to heal the priest. You must do so again, to heal yourself." Shadi shook his head. "I know not the specifics. I do not have the healing magics. All I can do is succor you in the area of power, that you may not run out of energy as you work."

Yugi stared at Shadi until the meaning dawned on him. He, heal himself? How? … Shadi stood there, completely impassive.

He had, hadn't he? Vague memories trickled back, that feeling of…_wholeness_. To make things _right_. Isn't that what he said, when he healed Kaiba?

Yugi swallowed, and nodded once. In response, the Ankh began to glow softly.

Wordlessly, Yugi closed his eyes and reached for the Puzzle's magic, searching for that same magic he had used before. He felt Shadi link in and stretch out a thread of magic. Instinctively Yugi accepted the thread, felt it strengthen until it was a rope, letting extra magic pour into his hands.

He found it, that same healing magic. Following the path he transmuted the magic Shadi sent him to the same kind. Juggling the links – one to Shadi, one to the Puzzle – he groped for the link to his other self. Once he found that, he spoke the foreign word.

__

"Elessa."

__

Heal.

The magic swept down the link to his other self, commanded by the ancient word to heal the failing body. Riding the impetus of the wave, Yugi guided the magic, strengthening blood vessels, healing damaged organs, and fiercely destroying the Ravager, aiding the immune system, buying time for it to mount their own attack. His mind completely focused on destroying the enemy, Yugi gave himself up to the magic.

The thought of death never crossed his mind.

**O x x x x x O**

__

The orders sent, now the army multiplied feverishly, doubling their numbers in astronomical amounts.

Drawing upon any remaining resources, they rushed to increase their forces. Before, they'd been struggling to survive; now, they were on overdrive. The remaining loyal factories, hidden within the skeleton of the body, were pushed to crank out more and more fighters, more artillery, more tanks. Now, with the proper weaponry and leadership, they would attempt to overwhelm the enemy by sheer force.

They would have only this one chance. One chance, to utterly overwhelm and eradicate the enemy.

The signals were transmitted everywhere, calling for the remaining forces to rise up. The other branches of defense mobilized as well, readying for orders to kill.

The Ravager was a treacherous and dangerous enemy. It took advantage of any weakness and gave no mercy. Confusing missives and poisons held back the regular army. Captives were driven to death, worn out from the orders to construct more of the Ravager. Setbacks were nothing to the Ravager, as it only came back with even more vengeance. No, the Ravager would have to be wiped out, completely purged from this ground.

This would not be a slow burnout of the enemy; this would be a blazing firestorm, devastating it in one decisive assault.

And for that, the army grew, and grew quickly.

**O x x x x x O**

Ishizu fingered the pages of the book Malik had brought her. "Hmmm. Apparently the Pharaoh did more than just seal the Shadow Games."

After Malik had shown Ishizu the book he'd found, they'd been holed up in Ishizu's study room, trying to figure out how this might link to what was happening now. Ishizu was curled up on her couch, and Malik was relaxing in the recliner chair.

Malik nodded. "Looks like it. The symptoms described are pretty similar to Ebola symptoms -- at least, the kinds _normally_ found in Africa." He grimaced. "What the Pharaoh has _now_, though…that doesn't sound too good."

"This is strange, too." Ishizu pointed to the song. "The song obviously refers to the unnamed Pharaoh, but this 'Athelas' …what is it? A herb? A magical power of the Pharaoh?"

"His name?"

Ishizu narrowed her eyes. "What did you say?"

Malik blinked, and straightened up. "His…name. I have no idea where that came from."

"His name…" Ishizu mused. "Well, perhaps one of them, anyway. _'Come Athelas.'_ Come, Pharaoh? To…heal us?"

"To deliver us?" Malik shrugged. "That doesn't matter though. This doesn't say anything about the origins of the disease; only that the Pharaoh stopped it. This only confirms the connection between the past, the present, and the Pharaoh." Malik flopped back into his seat. "It doesn't mention anything that could be connected to the thieves code of the curse."

A knock on the door turned their heads. Malik blinked, and then rolled his eyes. "Come in, Rashiid."

Rashiid opened the door and bowed his head slightly. "Master Malik, this came for you." He handed over a slip of paper. "I believe this might prove to be interesting."

"Rashiid, you really don't have to knock on the door. It's not like it was locked or anything." Malik chided as he unfolded the paper. "Just what is so interesting about this…Well."

"What is it?" Ishizu asked.

Malik gave a look at Rashiid. Rashiid shrugged. "In the mail."

Malik snorted. "So much for a fantastical delivery." Malik raised an eyebrow at Ishizu. "Sis, it reads,

__

'The Ravager shall strike again.  
Unfulfilled vengeance does not die so easily.  
It shall return when its incarnate bids it.  
Until then, let the black breath be unleashed.  
All hail the shadows.'

"And look at this, sis…" Malik flipped over the paper so Ishizu could see for herself, "It's all in thieves code."

**O x x x x x O**

__

It began with a massive bombing campaign.

Millions poured out of the training facilities. There was no morale-boosting feeling upon release. The higher levels called them the "kamikaze bombs."

Their short, brief, and simple mission?

Take as many of the enemy as possible.

Then blow yourself up.

The Ravager was in for a rude awakening. Suicide attackers that did nothing but take their enemy down in bloody glory. More persistent inquisitors patrolling the grounds, and if anything failed their questions…let's just say that the Ravager wouldn't be using that one anymore.

All of this, though, had a heavy toll. The bombs, though selective in their location, nevertheless damaged surrounding areas, friendly and unfriendly. The increasing temperatures hindered civilian production, even though it helped the military move and delegate movements. Constant questioning quickly became tiresome, and even then, some things were missed.

After all, these were just the "small fry." They were just here to soften things up.

The big bombs were coming.

**O x x x x x O**

Yugi struggled to concentrate.

Healing was hard _work_, burning energy to accelerate what would take days, weeks, what the human body could normally accomplish. It took more energy to change what Shadi gave him into healing magic, and even more energy to simply control the magic. It wasn't exceedingly tiresome – gods, _nothing_ like how he had to hold up Yami's mind – but it was difficult to split his concentration.

Not to mention Yugi's worry of _Where is he?_

His bond with his other self was there, but Yami on the other side was just…blank. Existing, but…not much else. At least, that was all that Yugi could feel. _Why_ couldn't he feel anything?

__

—Hiss!

Yugi lurched as the Ravager rolled back, snarling as it defied retreating. Retreating was not what the virus would do lightly. The hunger, the _need_ to destroy, bade them to resist any attempts to stop them.

Coiling, the Ravager _jumped_.

Jumped for _Yugi_, for that rich bearer of magic, tasty and luscious and sweet. The Ravager had no compunction against spirits – magic had its own alluring savor. Blood was pure and sweet; magic was the cinnamon on top.

Startled at the Sent image of a dragon leaping for his face, Yugi lashed out. The Ravager screamed as its attack melted away. Yugi virtually glowed as he called up even more energy. Flinching at the light, the virus retreated back into the dark depths, hiding…waiting.

Yugi shuddered as he pushed forward with his healing magic, burning out the recesses where the Ravager lurked. The virus had tried to take _him_. What _was_ this thing? No biological thing could attack something magical…then again the Ravager wasn't exactly purely biological, was it?

If the virus dared try to take him, was the Ravager desperate or simply…hungry? Were they finished with Yami, leaving him only an empty shell, and that was why Yugi couldn't feel him anymore?

Blindly Yugi reached out a hand, touching his other self's forehead for a more physical link, metaphysical though it may be.

Gritting his teeth he poured magic into his body, willing strength and time to work against the virus. Fighting against the Ravager to buy time for the immune system to kick in. And all the while, chasing shadows down his link, calling out to his other self.

**O x x x x x O**

__

Now it was time for the grunt work.

Fresh off the training grounds, the foot fighters charged into battle. Some of them were small and quick, and they patrolled the outskirts, attacking stragglers and the unprotected, using their mobility to their advantage. Later, after gaining experience, they would settle down and camp in one location, and develop into the more advanced type of fighters: the tanks.

Slow, steady, and carrying a lethal array of weapons, the tanks patrolled the major streets and metropolitan areas. It would be martial law until the enemy was eliminated.

Frisking became a much, much more dangerous activity.

If you failed…you failed to exist afterwards.

Ripping off body parts in a grotesque display of achievement, the basic fighters began to lower the Ravager's count. Their banners waving former pieces of the Ravager, they warned – and signaled – that the tide was turning. The Ravager faced a much tougher resistance now.

Tough, yes. Invulnerable, no.

Some of the Ravager managed to still evade these more vigilant attackers. Some ganged up and simply overwhelmed a unit. Some even managed to disable the weapons used against them, though this was rare. Through backstabbing, lying, and sheer trickery, the Ravager made sure that they would not die at this point.

**O x x x x x O**

Ryou Bakura's father sat in the corner of the room, watching his son. There was no one else in the room, just him and his son.

It seems that all he ever did was watch his son. No talking, or playing games when he was younger, or doing any of those father-son bonding things – just watching. Sometimes he'd come home late at night and he would have to leave early the next morning, so all he did was write a note, and watch his son sleep.

Ryou's father knew every kind of sleeping style, position, and pattern his son had, and this…was one of the stranger ones, he had to admit. Completely still and straight, the last time Ryou's father remembered Ryou sleeping like this was the night he gave Ryou the Ring. That night, the Ring had been glowing…

Although hidden beneath the covers, after years of watching, and that strange night in the forefront of his mind, Ryou's father did not miss the Ring's glow shine periodically.

A few times, Ryou's father reached out to touch his son's fevered brow, but pulled back. Touching was just not something he did often. As time passed, Ryou's father noticed slight changes in Ryou's face – grimaces and frowns, though Ryou never shifted. They seemed to coincide with the glowing Ring.

He was startled when Ryou actually _hissed_.

Yes, hissed, and the Ring glowing even brighter this time. Ryou's face was contorted – but only barely, as if something were holding him back.

Unconsciously, Ryou's father found his hand moving towards his son – but this time, it completed the journey.

"Shhhh…It's all right. I'm here, Ryou."

Minute furrows smoothed out underneath his fingers as Ryou's father tentatively brushed his son's brow. Ryou relaxed, and the tension in his face released. The Ryou's glow dimmed, and then died out. Slowly, Ryou's father withdrew his hand.

For a long while, nothing else happened.

Then, Ryou's father had the distinct privilege to see his son blink. Once. Twice. Large brown eyes focusing and refocusing on his new surroundings, confused at first, until finally focusing on the anxious person next to him.

"…Father?"

**x x x x x**

How many times had Mokuba fallen asleep in his big brother's arms?

Too many to count.

So accustomed Mokuba was to his big brother's _breathing pattern_, that he immediately picked up on the changing rhythm of Seto's chest rising and falling. Sleepily Mokuba opened his eyes, and his eye automatically clasped his brother's hand a bit tighter.

Mokuba jerked up once he saw the hospital surroundings, and he remembered just _why_ he was in here.

Seto groaned, and raised his head. "Owww…"

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba cried. "You're awake!"

**x x x x x**

In the room next door, Tea Gardener woke up peacefully and quietly. Sitting up, she stretched and yawned.

And looked down.

And shrieked.

…Hospital gowns aren't exactly the best made – or covering – garments, you know?

**x x x x x**

Across the hall, Serenity sat in an all-too-familiar position – watching a comatose person.

First Ryou, then Mai, then Joey…Serenity was getting a bit tired of having friends and family fall over and losing consciousness for long periods of time.

Look, she and everyone she knew was innocent, all right?

"Joey…"

"Yeah sis?" Blink. "Hey, where am I?"

Serenity gasped, and squealed. _"Joey!"_

"Whoa!" Joey yelped as Serenity leaped onto his bed.

"You're awake you're awake you're awake!" Serenity was literally bouncing up and down. Which made for an interesting ride on the hospital bed, until Serenity got a hold of herself and stopped bouncing. But not the hugging.

Joey winced, and rubbed his head. All right, so he was the kind of guy that woke up all at once, but that still didn't explain why he was in a hospital bed and Serenity was all worried about him. "Hey, care to fill me in here, Serenity?"

**x x x x x**

When a guy wakes up from something exhausting, mind-numbing, and just plain scary, there are a few things he does not want to see.

A bouquet of flowers with an enormous card saying "GET WELL SOON!" next to his face his one of them.

Tristan facefaulted mightily when he saw just where he was, and what his well-loving but sometimes deluded parents left him.

**x x x x x**

Solomon jerked out of his nap as he heard sudden sounds. Then, all of a sudden, Serenity Wheeler burst out of her brothers room, made a leap-jump, hugged Solomon tight, and squealed as an ecstatic child, "Oh Mr. Motou, he's awake! He's awake, just like you said he would!"

A bit pleased at the girl-bundle in his arms and yet, a bit uncomfortable, Solomon gently pushed Serenity down as he saw Joey stumble out of his room.

"Oi, Gramps." Joey sheepishly smiled. "Everything okay?"

"Joey? You too?"

Solomon looked down to see Mokuba towing his big brother out of his wrong. Mokuba grinned, as Kaiba vainly tried to get out of his little brother's grip. "Hey! I guess they're all waking up!"

Once hearing all the commotion, the others came out of their rooms too. Tristan marched right out of his room, blinked twice, handed the bouquet of flowers to a startled Serenity (after taking off the card, though), and almost went into spasms of happiness when Serenity thanked him profusely. Tea came out of her room after dressing herself, thanking whoever it was that left _regular_ clothing on the chair next to her bed. Ryou came out last, with his father quietly standing beside him, though his hand on Ryou's shoulder left no doubt of his relief that his son was okay.

Joey scratched his head. "Um…looks like everyone's okay."

Serenity tugged on Joey's arm. "Now will you tell me just why you were in a coma after you came back home from being with Yugi—"

"Coma!" Joey yelped. "Oh man, _Yugi!_ We gotta see if he's okay!"

"Well first," Tea said sardonically as Joey moved to find Yugi Right Now, "you might want to put some clothes on first."

Joey gaped, looked down, saw bare legs, yelped again, and ran back in his room for that pile of clothes he forgot.

**O x x x x x O**

__

Ordinarily now, the enemy would be properly softened up.

Well, the Ravager wasn't an ordinary enemy, but even it wouldn't be able to hide against the new weapons pouring out of the assembly lines.

Automatic guided missiles. Once released, these would literally "seek out and destroy."

Manufactured precisely to the engineer's configurations, these little ones were attuned to the enemy's scent, figure, magic signature, and any disguise the enemy might use.

Upon finding their target, these would latch on, signaling for the troops to attack. Sometimes, the enemy would be under fire so much as to resemble a pincushion. This would obviously hinder the enemy's entrance into civilian areas.

Getting hit by one of these little ones was like putting up blinking neon lights that said, "Please shoot me now." Call it target practice, if you will – or perhaps exercises in capturing a labeled enemy – for the patrols and tanks had a lot easier time killing these nicely highlighted targets than the ones that managed to stay clean. Not only that, but the automatic defense machinery was activated by these signals, and some of the Ravager was destroyed by the simple fact that unexpected holes, in any wall, are usually not a good thing. Even the Ravager can't defy the sheer force of water pressure.

This was all very high-tech and all, but this only attacked those that were out in the open. Thousands more were insinuated inside civilians, towns, whole cities even.

Thus the reason for the other_ branch of the military._

**O x x x x x O**

When Kisho agreed to a stint as a security guard at a hospital, he figured it'd be a pretty easy job. It wasn't like the patients were going to be running around – they were sick and couldn't move around, right?

Oh, but for the wisdom of hindsight—!

The patients might not be able to go anywhere, but they'd by kami _try_. Or the nurses running everywhere keeping up with the patients, and doctors constantly "on call." Oh yeah, and let's not forget the _not_-appreciated spike in media coverage due to the Ebola case. Reporters were _very_ pushy.

What did that American general once say? Ah yes, the civil war general…

__

"I hate newspapermen. They come into camp and pick up their camp rumors and print them as facts. I regard them as spies, which, in truth, they are. If I killed them all there would be news from Hell before breakfast."

Thus why Kisho was glad for a reason to get out of the camera's eye. He was filling in a shift for some other guy that left early – probably because of the Ebola case, once again. All he had to do was watch the security cameras in the ICU area.

Kisho leaned back and sipped his cup of coffee. This was way easier than standing by doors watching people like a hawk. There was only one other guy in the dark room, named Jiro, who didn't speak much. That was fine with Kisho.

To be truthful, Kisho didn't _want_ to talk. He'd done way too much talking once the reporters found out that he'd been an acquaintance of Tsuikyu. Since Kisho was a security guard and therefore easy for them to find and question, they'd wanted his opinion on everything – not that he could blame them, but he didn't know anything other than Tsuikyu was _dead_. That kinda freaks a guy out, you know?

Kisho frowned. Tsuikyu had been one of those…oddball types. For one, he'd been ecstatically excited about getting to deal with _Ebola_. After hearing all the horror stories (could he help it if the reporters kept _talking_ to him?), Kisho was unnerved when he'd seen Tsuikyu grinning. When Kisho asked why Tsuikyu was so cheery, Tsuikyu replied with that he had the honor of analyzing samples of the Ebola case's blood, with all the excitement of a nerdy sixth-grader operating a microscope for the first time.

That was the last time Kisho saw him alive.

Kisho shook his dead. All this thinking about doom, death, and weird portents was a bit over the top. Nevertheless, Kisho shifted his attention to the camera in ICU 5, the one that had the Ebola case.

…What in the world?

Kisho put down his coffee cup and looked closer. Yes…no…was there something wrong with the camera? Giving a brief glance at the other cameras on his side, Kisho saw nothing unusual with the other cameras…but _this_ one…was he seeing things?

He reached out an arm and tapped Jiro's shoulder. "Hey, Jiro, look at this."

"What?"

Kisho pointed a finger. "That."

Like a blip on the screen, there was this fuzzy, fading-in-and-out area right over the Ebola case's body. And it was shaped like a human being…

Jiro swallowed, and reached for the phone.

**x x x x x**

This simply didn't make _sense_.

Doctor Seimei rubbed his temples. "Ugh. Technology."

"I have no idea why it's doing this, Seimei," nurse Kusuri said. "This has never happened before, and well, it's going to be hard to convince a technician to go in there at this time of the day."

Dr. Seimei sighed and took another sip off coffee. "Yes, I know."

The two of them were huddled around the security center in the ICU hallway, trying to figure out why all the hospital equipment in ICU 5 had suddenly gone crazy around 11:45 PM.

For no apparent reason in the middle of the night, readings from the equipment kept fluctuating wildly between extreme statistics. The heart-rate monitor said that the patient's heart rate was two hundred beats per minute – then the next moment, only forty beats per minute. The waves on the electrocardiograph were having spasms. The other machines were like that too – temperature and breathing rate giving outrageous numbers.

At first, when he'd gotten the call, Dr. Seimei thought that perhaps the patient's time was up and was about to pass on. Perhaps crashing and bleeding out could make the machines go wild.

The only thing was, the patient was _sleeping_.

Nurse Kusuri had went inside ICU 5 herself to do the tests the old-fashioned way, with a thermometer and air-pumped cuff to take the blood pressure. Both readings were stable – slow, and a bit low – but stable, not off the chart-readings like forty degrees Celsius.

"I can understand why blood pressure and temperature might drop dramatically. Hemorrhages, loss of blood, less able to pump enough fluid – but the _increase?_" Dr. Seimei growled, and rubbed his hand through his hair. "That's it. Pull them all out."

"What?"

"Take him off all the machines. If they're going nuts, I don't want them to interfere. Get a technician in there as soon as possible. It's not like the machines are doing anything _for_ him, anyway. The only thing I want on him is the IV drip and a blanket."

Kusuri nodded, and headed off to ICU 4 to change into one of the biological field suits. The hospital staff had hastily converted the neighboring room into a pseudo-changing room, by locking the windows, closing vents, but mostly by taping every single possible opening.

Hooray for duct tape.

As nurse Kusuri went in and began unhooking Yugi Motou from the equipment, the phone rang. Dr. Seimei glared at it – didn't he already have enough problems? – and picked up the receiver.

"Ah, ICU center?"

Dr. Seimei sighed. "Yes. What is it?"

"Er, um, this is the central security center. Um, we've picked up…something strange in the Ebola case room. I mean, in ICU five." The person over the phone coughed. "We'd just like to, ah, confirm what we're seeing here on the camera. What we're seeing here, sir, is this fuzzy looking human-shaped cloud hovering over the patient's body."

Dr. Seimei blinked. "Excuse me?"

"…To be very unprofessional sir…a ghost?" The person hastily added, "We're not sure if this is a glitch or not; but none of the other cameras have this problem…"

Eyes widened, Dr. Seimei pressed the intercom button for ICU 5. "Nurse Kusuri?"

Nurse Kusuri looked up as she heard someone call her name in a faint, buzzy voice. Oh, the intercom. The intercom was covered as well, since microorganisms can pass through electrical wiring. Paranoid, yes, but it couldn't hurt to be sure. She raised her voice. "Yes?"

Dr. Seimei coughed. "Do you see anything around the patient?"

…What kind of question was that? Kusuri glanced at the patient. "I see a bed, an IV unit, and a very sick boy. Is this a joke, Seimei?"

Even through a covered-up intercom, Kusuri could make out Dr. Seimei's sheepish tone. "No, Akiko. I'm on the line here with the central security center, and well…what they're saying is they see a cloud of some sort over the patient, and they're calling it a ghost. Never mind, then."

Kusuri rolled her eyes. Superstitious personnel. Oh well, when you work in a hospital and some people die and others pull off a miraculous recovery, you can't help but believe in supernatural things…once in a while. But still, a ghost? Here?

Somewhat amused, Kusuri finished pulling out all the tubes and needles off the boy, wrapping the injection sites with rolls of bandages since the patient's blood no longer clotted. She cleaned up where she could, dabbing away dried and crusted blood. Observing the boy's heavy breathing, the yellow skin, and fevered sweating, she doubted that the boy would last the night.

As she put everything away and got ready to leave, she looked one last time at the boy. And for a moment, she saw a young boy that almost looked like the patient, _glowing_, sitting over the patient's chest…

Blinking twice, Kusuri looked again to see…nothing. A normal room. Just 'a bed, an IV unit, and a very sick boy,' as she said.

Shaking her head and dismissing the scene, Kusuri left the room.

But still…there was something Very Odd about that boy.

— **x x x x x** —

A virus is an insidious thing. Neither alive nor dead, a virus' only reason for existence is to replicate itself. Made up of nothing more than a protein coat and the code for life inside, a virus simply waits for a living cell to hijack and take over. Only then can it "live."

In that they do nothing unless they are within a living cell, viruses are difficult to fight against. It is only traceable by what the immune system responds with. This is the basis of the ELISA test, which tests for the presence of antibodies. Often, this is the best way to test for the presence of the virus itself.

While there are hundreds of different types of antibiotics, there are no more than a handful of antiviral medicines ever created. This is because bacteria are clearly "alive" and therefore they can be killed. Antibiotics, or anti-life, from the Greek "anti" for against and "bios" for life, attack things that are alive. There are many ways in which things that are alive can become very dead. There are not many ways in which things that were never alive in the first place can be…removed, is perhaps a better term.

How then, can one fight against something that is not even alive? It is like trying to fight an enemy that only reveals itself when it is inside your own borders. To fight then is to attack your own people.

To destroy a virus, you must first destroy yourself.

**O x x x x x O**

__

They held the power of Death.

It was they that would put sufferers out of their misery of captivity. There would be no heroic rescue, no savior, no liberation; only the release of pain and the knowledge that they would no longer serve the enemy.

Called the Killers, they answered the cries of those were taken over by the Ravager with the Grim Reaper's scythe. It was a bitter sort of mercy, for what they did was help the victim commit suicide.

Trapped within a never-ending cycle of producing more of the Ravager, the one way to release their prisoners was to end their life. Once given the means to self-destruct, they would take down their captors with them – bringing down the numbers of the Ravager one prison camp at a time.

They were emotionless Killers, wielding the magic their maker gave them to detect those that the Ravager had captured. Acting without remorse or regret, they destroyed anyone that harbored the enemy. In a role that dealt with death, perhaps it was best that they were cold and unemotional, for then they would have no compunction in their necessary killing.

Spurred on by the orders of the higher ranks, the army ruthlessly pressed their attack. Tanks and infantry entrenched the Ravager into their hidden corners, while the guided missiles blew away any that reminded outside. And for those that hid inside their hosts, the Killers dealt with them.

Overseeing the entire campaign were the Commanders. Coordinating the three military branches, the Commanders made sure that there would be no escape for the virus.

Still, the Ravager would not go down easily. Fighting and slashing in ever smaller and more futile attempts against its attackers, the Ravager continued to replicate. It was, after all, a created monster, programmed to only feed and destroy and reproduce. The Ravager lashed out with its own weapons, causing blood vessels to weaken and thin even further. Even more blood leaked out of the body, and with it traveled the Ravager, searching for a new host.

But the tables were turned. Now it was the Ravager that was outdated, and the immune system that held the upper hand. If the immune system could keep up the pace, it could finally eradicate the virus.

If they could keep this up. If only the body could hold on a little more longer, then the Ravager would be defeated. If this broken, tired, ravaged body could summon enough energy to withstand the virus' damage long enough for the immune system to burn out the infection, then perhaps finally they could rest and begin the road for a long recovery.

Just a little bit longer…

**O x x x x x O**

By now Yugi had sank completely into the healer's trance. Intertwined so deeply in the Puzzle's magic and his other self, he almost didn't even need to control the magic's flow.

__

Where are you? Yugi cried out to his other self. _Where are you, mou hitori no boku?_

Far off in the distance, Yugi vaguely felt the Ravager subsiding. Even then, the fight was not over. Though their numbers were lower, they left behind a devastated body, exhausted in the effort to beat down the virus. Leaking blood vessels and organs bombed with dead and rotting cells could cause death by itself, simply because the body was no longer to keep everything functional.

By putting in his own energy though, Yugi held back death, leaving the immune system to continue fighting without worry of losing their "home base." Places where the virus had been burned out Yugi restored, healing the body one reclaimed part at a time.

Yugi lost track of time, drifting along the boundaries of his bond with Yami. Slowly exploring this new _wall_. Had it been there before? No…it seemed to block only a part of the bond, barring passage to some part of Yami's soul. The outer boundaries were open, but here in the center…

It wasn't Yami's work; it didn't have that "feeling" Yugi had come to associate with his other self. But it felt similar and familiar, of darkness and shadows and ancient power. And yet…different somehow, lacking warmth and protectiveness.

Yugi felt his way, pushing against the barrier, trying to find some door or something that would let him through. Stretching out an extension of his soul, Yugi tested the barrier, when something latched onto him. Flinching, Yugi felt this _thing_ probing him.

__

—What? Who? —

__

—Oh, you_…—_

__

—Ahhhh…—

And then, the barrier just…fell. Dissipated. Alarmed, Yugi "looked" back – no, he was still connected to the real world; he wasn't about to go drifting off into the netherworld. Turning back, he tested his bond again. Strong and clear, though he felt his other self far in the distance.

He'd have to bring him back, then.

**x x x x x**

Yami was confused.

When he died, really died, wasn't he supposed to travel the Underworld and go through the Judgement?

Instead, he was wandering around in this sea of gray. There weren't even shadows, or light, or darkness…just a seemingly endless surroundings of fog. He felt nothing, saw nothing, sensed nothing. Vaguely he remembered that he was searching for something, but he couldn't see anything beyond this fog. Something heavy hung around his neck, something pyramid shaped. He didn't understand why it was there, but it felt important.

__

…Searching for that missing person…

No, wait…there, some light. Finally having some direction to head to, Yami moved towards the light. The fog began to swirl around him, curling around his bare feet. Wasn't he dead? Wasn't he supposed to travel the Underworld, and reach the Field of Reeds, the place his people called paradise? …But who were his people? How did he know such things?

Traveling closer to the lighter part of the fog, Yami grimaced with each step. He…_hurt_, somehow. But how could that be? The pain…it seemed to thud through him, his entire body, pulsing with a low throb.

Squinting both from the newfound pain and in an effort to see something, he saw the light coming closer. Faintly he heard singing. Where _was_ he? If he wasn't at the Field of Reeds yet, where was Anubis, to weigh his heart? Where were the forty-two gods, the Judgement Scales, the feather of _ma'at_, and the god Thoth to keep a record?

"Silly silly silly. You're not supposed to be here."

Yami yelped, startled at the sudden appearance of a little girl, who giggled at him. What? How'd she—? He blinked twice as he saw feathery white wings. And a golden halo.

…They never mentioned _this_ in the _Pert Em Hru_…

The girl giggled again, and fluttered up to tap his nose. Yami stared into startling bright blue eyes, framed in dark curling locks of hair, and jumped back when a spark of light leapt from her finger to his nose. The girl smiled. "Silly, silly. It's not your time yet."

Yami stopped rubbing his nose. "Excuse me?"

"Don't you remember? …Oh," The girl stopped floating around Yami's head, and sank back down to land on a puff of gray fog. She sat on the gray clouds, even though fog is impossible to sit _on_. "I keep forgetting you can't remember. Daddy says you'll remember someday…" The girl trailed off.

Yami's eyes furrowed. "Remember what?"

"Can't tell," The little girl wrinkled her nose. "Only Daddy and _he_ can tell."

"He?"

"The one who's got the key, of course!" The girl giggled, and floated back up in the air.

Yami frowned. This was making no sense. He was in some weird fog, with a random hyper flying girl as company. He had no clue where he was, why he was here, or even who he was, for that matter. On that thought, he didn't know who this little girl was, either.

"Who are you?"

"Sybil! I'm an angel!" The girl bounced in mid-air.

…They most definitely did not have this in the _Pert Em Hru._

Sybil continued speaking, twirling around. "You have to go back." She stopped, and turned to look at him. "He's coming for you."

"Who?"

Sybil turned and looked at him in astonishment. "You mean you can't remember?"

"Remember _what?_" Yami asked again, exasperated. "I know nothing! Nothing of who I am, not even my true name? How am I to remember someone I cannot name, if I cannot name myself?"

Yami's eyes widened as Sybil grew taller. And older. The wings lengthened and glistened; the face narrowed and her hair grew longer to curl around her arms, though her eyes were still a shocking, bright blue. A deep cool blue that seemed to pull Yami in…

__

:Pharaoh of the Shadows, Given Death, Restored in Pieces. Your time has not come. You have much to accomplish with the Healer.:

Yami fell down to one knee, clutching his chest. His heart…it hurt. "I…who?" His voice cracked. "Who is he?"

Sybil – no, the _angel_ – continued in a toneless voice. _:He was, and is, and will be you. Yea, He is coming.:_

Yami gasped, images flowing back into his mind. The boy. The boy with the purple eyes. Was he…? Yami clenched a fist. He couldn't remember…

__

:Can you not hear him?:

Yami struggled, tried, so hard to remember. Placing one hand on the heavy object that hung around his neck, at once foreign and familiar, he strained to hear the voice.

A figure…?

**x x x**

Yugi wandered in the grayness. Strange, not being in darkness or in light – just in this bland, neutral gray zone of nothingness.

/Yami?/ he called out. Perhaps Yami could hear him, and was merely lost; perhaps Yugi could lead him back…

Where was he, anyway? What was this never-ending gray fog? And why was Yami in here? Yami was here, somewhere – his bond told Yugi that much, at least – but this was just odd. Though their bond was weak. Perhaps it was because of the Ravager, that it had attacked so deeply that Yami had drifted elsewhere.

Testing the thin threads of his bond, Yugi was drawn in one direction. Trailing behind bits of green light, Yugi headed towards one part of the grayness.

…Brightness?

Yugi narrowed his eyes as the fog parted. There…on his knees…was that him? Ignoring his surroundings – though a distant part of his mind questioned the woman with wings – Yugi floated towards the kneeling figure.

__

/Mou hitori no boku?/

The figure's eyes shot open. "It's _you_…"

Yugi's face fell. "You…don't remember. Can't you see, _mou hitori no boku_? It's me. Yugi." Yugi stretched out a hand.

Yami stared at the boy that haunted his memories. "You…know me?"

"Of course I do. You're a part of me." The boy lowered himself. "At least, that how I think the Puzzle works."

"Puzzle?"

The boy smiled. "The Millenium Puzzle. I solved it, and…you were part of it. See, it's there around your neck." The boy pointed. "Mine too."

Yami's hand curled around the…Puzzle, is that what it was called? Looking upward, Yami saw that the boy had the same Puzzle around his neck. "But why do you and I have the same Puzzle?"

"Because I am you." The boy tilted his head. "Or a part of you. I'm not quite sure. Yami, don't you remember me? Your aibou?"

"Aibou…?"

"That's what you called me. Among others." The boy stretched out a hand again. "Come on, don't you want to go back?"

Yami stared at the outstretched hand. This boy…knew him. And somehow, Yami trusted him as well. Hesitantly, Yami clasped the offered hand. The boy pulled Yami up, and as he did so, their Puzzles clinked together.

__

—I know you, in dreams…in the dreams you came…—

Memories flooded back into Yami's mind, released from the careful guardianship of the Puzzle itself. Acting on its bearer's behalf, the Puzzle had created its own barrier to Yami's soul, protecting their fragile bond.

This boy was the key. The key to unlocking his memories…

//Yugi…//

Yugi smiled, and rested his forehead against Yami's. /I'm here. I'll lead you back./

Yami smiled back, and nodded. He turned to thank Sybil, and blinked when he saw that she wasn't there.

"Sybil…"

Yugi blinked. "Huh?"

Yami sheepishly grinned. "Um, the angel I was talking to. At least, that what she called herself."

__

:Fear not.:

Yugi and Yami jumped.

A little girl's giggle echoed around them. Yugi and Yami stood a bit closer together. This was freaky…

__

:Now come, and be One once more. Fulfill the balance. To the younger, I say that the burden of duty falls to you. To the elder, I say that what was lost will be restored. Now come, and let us live in the light!:

A flash of light, and the fog burned away. Yugi and Yami found themselves falling-and-not-falling down, surrounded by whiteness. Stunned, they held onto each other's shoulders as they dropped.

"Oi. That was weird." Yugi blinked. "…And incredibly cheesy."

"That was understated," Yami said dryly. "And if you could please explain why we are falling, I would feel so much better. I take it everything is well in the real world?"

Yugi looked down and yelped. "GAH! I forgot about that!" Frowning for a moment, and calling up a bit of magic, Yugi grabbed hold of the anchor line that held him to earth.

/Hold on, Yami! We're going home!/

**O x x x x x O**

__

In a flash of blinding of white Light, it was over.

The Ravager was eradicated. Burned out, fried, shattered. Screaming defiance to the end, nevertheless the encroaching armies routed out the virus. With the help of the Healer holding the recovered ground and the added wash of energy from a new source, the Ravager was destroyed for good.

__

But the glories of war always had a dark side.

The cleaning-up.

Left with destroyed Ravager bits and leftover parts from the suicide cells, the infantry had the job of cleaning up the mess. It was going to be a long haul. Worn out parts, surplus missiles – all of it had to be recycled. Things that were destroyed still could be broken down to their fundamental parts and reused.

Even as the infantry cleaned up, the defense system still kept a watchful eye. While most of the Commanders and Armsmaster retired, a few stayed within the ranks, making sure that there would always be an experienced veteran in case the enemy returned again.

As for the infantry, they would remain and continue being recruited and trained, being more skilled in the long run. With a stronger first defense, it would be even more difficult for an invader to break through.

No, they would never leave their guard down.

After all, this was war, and it never ended until every single one of them died in the service of protection.

**x x x x x**

Yugi woke up to see Shadi smiling down at him.

"Ah, I see you were successful, Yugi Motou."

/Yami?/

//Here, Yugi.//

Yugi slowly nodded and sat up, cupping the Puzzle in his hands. "Yes. Yami's back, too."

Shadi stepped back. "All is well then, Chosen. You have no further need of me. The balance is restored and your path determined. May the power of Earth guide you. Farewell." The Ankh flared, and then Shadi disappeared in a swirling of shadows.

Yugi blinked. "Well. That was weird."

//You know Yugi, I think we've gone through so much 'weirdness' that anything could happen and you would say 'That was weird.'//

"…That's true."

**x x x x x**

Joey ran down the hospital hallways, ignoring everybody else. He knew where he was going, knew this hospital like the palm of his hand, ever since needing to be near Serenity when she went through her eye operation. Ignoring pain and common sense, he homed in towards Yugi. He had to be okay…

He skidded to a stop in the middle of the ICU hallway and looked at the numbers about the doorways. One, two, three…Yugi was in room five…there! Panting, Joey took a few more steps and tried to open the door.

…After seeing that it was locked, he sheepishly turned around to see a very surprised doctor and nurse, an annoyed Tea, two tired out adults (Yugi's mom and Solomon), a confused Tristan, Serenity, and Mokuba, and one highly amused Seto Kaiba.

"Forgot about privacy, Wheeler?"

"Aw, shut it, Kaiba."

Dr. Seimei frowned. "It's after visiting hours. In fact, it's after hospital hours. May I please be informed why you are all in the ICU hallway?"

"Uhhhh…"

Nurse Kusuri eye's narrowed. "You. You're in room 103, aren't you? You were in a coma," She glanced at Seimei, "Well, that's the official story."

Joey continued with the eloquent, "Uhhhhh…yeah?" He shook his head and ran his hand through his messy hair. "Look, I just gotta see Yugi. He's gotta be better now. I mean, we went through all this stuff, and—"

"Excuse me?" Dr. Seimei interrupted. "How could you know he is…in better condition?"

"Can I just see him?" Joey rattled the doorknob. "Come on!"

Seeing doubtful looks, Joey looked frantically for some kind of encouragement. The others were trying to reassure the doctors that they _were_ fine, well except for a really bad headache, but they all wanted to see Yugi (although heavily suppressed by Kaiba). His eyes fell on the camera screens on the desk.

"See! Look! He's fine!" Joey pointed at the camera screens. "He's waving at us!"

Dumbfounded, nurse Kusuri stared at the tiny gray screen, depicting the patient sitting up in bed and waving at them. "What in…"

Shaking his head, Doctor patted Kusuri's shoulder. "Sometimes, miracles happen, Akiko." He walked over and unlocked the door. Immediately Joey bounded in, followed by the rest of the gang, and lastly Dr. Seimei and nurse Kusuri.

"Joey!" Yugi waved. "Hey!"

Joey grinned. "How'd you know it was us?"

"Heard you through the doorway."

Joey laughed, and plopped down on the chair next to Yugi's bed. "Sounds like you're better now."

Yugi smiled. "Tired yes, but I'm over it now."

"But _how?_" Nurse Kusuri stammered. "Ebola is…it was…you were…how did you survive? How did you…_revive_ like that?"

"Sometimes, miracles happen." Yugi glanced at Dr. Seimei, who twitched a bit at that statement. Then, his voice lowered. "There is more to the immune system than only its results."

Nusuri Kusuri remembered to close her mouth after a few seconds. Dr. Seimei shrugged and patted Kusuri's shoulder again, and led her out the room where he could settle Kusuri's nerves in privacy.

Meanwhile, Yugi was surrounded by his friends all wanting reassurance that he really was fine. His mom, on the other hand, was wiping tears from her eyes and kept spontaneously hugging Yugi, babbling stuff about angels. While Kaiba was not part of the "Are-You-Really-Okay" party, a furtive meeting of eyes told Yugi that at least Kaiba was relieved that Yugi had pulled through.

Yugi mentally poked the spirit.

//Mmm?//

/Glad to be back in the land of the living?/

Yami laughed. //You have no idea, aibou.//

* * *

****

Footnotes/Explanations:

"War is Hell" and "I hate newspapermen..." is by General Sherman from the American Civil War. Public domain. Also referred back to "Missing Person" by Michael W. Smith. (NOT QUOTED, _referred_) (A small plug here…**HiroKara **made this awesome video with "Missing Person." Watch it. XD)

Japanese:  
Aibou – partner   
Mou hitori no boku – my other self   
Nii-sama – older brother

On the Immune System:  
Yes, I am purposely leaving out most of the names given in chapter nine (Commanders, Little Ones, etc.). No, I am not going to explain every section on the immune system. For one, that'd be super complicated. And two, I like leaving things for readers to find out. The immune system sections were based on the best, most modern info I could find on Ebola, the immune system, and viruses. I heavily turned this into a "militaristic" viewpoint; I know there's probably a lot of things wrong with it, but hey, it was fun. But just to give tips, here are a few "scientific" words/concepts that are somehow portrayed in this chapter:  
sGP glycoprotein, spiking, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, MHC molecules, interleukins, immunoglobin (aka antibodies, I'm not heartless XD), complement system, apoptosis…

Egyptian Details:  
_Pert em Hru_ is Egyptian for _Coming Forth By Day_, aka the famous "Book of the Dead." Copied from YGO English vol 2; it could also be written as "Pert em Heru" following Egyptologist conventions to make things pronounceable by inserting an "e" where needed.

And of course…**Bloopers!**

__

:Fear not.:  
Yugi and Yami jumped. A little girl's giggle echoed around them. Yugi and Yami stood a bit closer together. This was freaky…  
_:Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be for all people, for unto you–:  
_Toboe LoneWolf: _CUT!_

****

Author's End Notes:

Toboe LoneWolf: YAMIIII LIIIIIIIVESSS! (_runs around yelling said statement_)

Djanil: Great, so now that you've told us that obvious statement…

Toboe LoneWolf: Yeah, so big surprise, both of them live. So I'm not a big angst person. Feh. However, it's not like they're all whole and healthy. There's much to be said with adrenaline, pain-blocking, and sheer excitement. More next chapter. And the last. Mmm, yes, there will be one more chapter, the epilogue. Yes, I know there are still strings left unattached. And I like 'em that way. XD Gives you readers something to mull over, if you like. Epilogue is just that, a closing; it'll probably be up in a month.

(_laughs_) So Sybil is explained at last. If you readers are perceptive, she had a bigger hand in this than just the mom scene and this chapter. **Mugendai**, you've given me a very nice character to work with; I can foresee her popping up anytime I need an angel…XD

Hmmm, so this chapter…some parts I like, others are like, meh. Like the conversations. I dunno, I guess there were so many that it was kinda hard to space them out and work with. I like the virus section, then again I've always liked viruses. Immune section parts are…well, some I like, some I don't. I think the first half is better than the second half, I think I was running out of steam. That, and I'm bad at endings. It's going to be hard to write the last chapter. (Oh, **S.K. Hashmi**? I know it's not a multiple of seven, but hey, the digits of sixteen add up to seven, sixteen is a perfect square of four, four (perfect square of two) plus three (magical number) is seven, and I used to be LoneWolf16. XD)

Just a little note…as you know, all quotations (minus public domain ones) are not present on the fanfiction(dot)net version of _Lethally Hot_. You'll have to go to mediaminer(dot)org for that. In any case, a "real" novel can't use anything but public domain stuff anyway (it still irks me, though). However, rereading the beginning chapters of LH make me cringe. Especially the first chapter. I've revised them, just the first three chapters so far (I'll eventually revise 'em all), but just to keep things simple, I'm only going to put the revised chapters here on fanfiction(dot)net. Mediaminer has original, ff has new.

So what else can I say? …You'll just have to wait till the last chapter. (_winks_) Healing and naming, recovery and loss, all will be revealed in the last segment of _Lethally Hot_, including one person that's not to thrilled about the joyous "miracle." So until next time, leave a nice review if you wish, and ja ne!


	16. Epilogue

Toboe LoneWolf: …

Djanil: …

Toboe LoneWolf: …Let's just get on with it.

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf ain't got the rights to YGO. Go rob Kazuki Takahashi for it. XD  
_Note_: Shakespeare is public domain. No sue.

Toboe LoneWolf: This chapter has a lot of expository and explanations. (_shrugs_) It's the epilogue, anyway. Takes place a week later. (_strikes pose_) So come, dear readers, into the last chapter that is _Lethally Hot!_

* * *

_Chapter Sixteen: Epilogue_

A killer virus stalks the earth.

Now one person _has_ the cure.

Someone really, really, really _hates_ that.

**x x x x x**

Yugi woke up with sunlight shining painfully into his eyes. Groaning and shielding his eyes with his hand, Yugi curled inward to block out the light. Sleepily he berated himself for not covering up the skylights in his room. The light _hurt_.

Mumbling a bit, Yugi worked his right hand free of the sheets. Still with his eyes closed, he fisted his hand, and then released. In the cup of his hand was a growing globe of sparkling green light. Slowly Yugi brought his hand to his eyes, shaping the magic.

//Careful, Yugi,// Yami brushed against Yugi's mind. //Healing is delicate work.// With mental hands Yami guided his young protégé.

A week had passed by after the "miracle" at the hospital, and today was the first day Yugi was back home. With all the media hype and the medical community dumbfounded at this recovery-at-the-brink-of-death, Yugi had been detained at the hospital for another week, assuring doctors that he really was fine and telling reporters his "story" – not that he could tell them much, since the real story would've been preposterous. An ancient pharaoh's memories, an engineered immune system, and using magic to meld everything together? Definitely not.

Even then, the doctors were right about one thing – he wasn't _fully_ recovered yet. Burning out the virus at such a late stage put a huge toll on Yugi's body. After one hour of "recovery" Yugi collapsed, having completely run out of both physical and magical reserves. Well, basically he'd flopped back onto the bed and slept for an entire day straight.

After that, he'd woken up sore and _still_ tired. And then all of the complications kicked in, the pain relievers and adrenaline having worn off.

He was sore all over, which was no surprise since Ebola ate muscle tissue. Even his bones were sore – his joints popped like Grandpa for a few days. His ears were messed up too – he heard buzzing noises, or a high-pitched kreen, echoing in his ears. It made conversation hard.

The worse part was his eyes. Swollen and inflamed, Yugi couldn't open his eyes for long before they started tearing up. Everything was fuzzy, and sometimes he saw black spots. Not only that, but he was extremely sensitive to light. Nothing the doctors did helped – probably because this was a side effect of a 'magically' enhanced disease.

Thus the reason Yugi was attempting to heal himself.

He'd had a bit of success – soothing his muscles and fixing his ears, but Yugi was still untrained, and trying to heal his own eyes was delicate and difficult.

Yugi sighed. He thought he'd gotten it healed up yesterday, but the pain in the back of his eyes told otherwise. So much of the healing he'd done was only temporary…

Still shielding his eyes, Yugi got up and dug around his closet one-handedly. He'd dimmed his eyes, making them less sensitive to light, but until he'd figured out how to heal his eyes, he'd better wear sunglasses. He stood in front of the mirror for a moment, staring into now red-tinted violet colored eyes before slipping on the glasses. Yet another change…

Then he went down for breakfast. As Yugi opened the refrigerator, squinting, Grandpa came into the kitchen, about to head to the Game Shop area of the house to manage the store. He stopped as he saw Yugi's new accessory…so to speak.

"Sunglasses?"

Yugi yawned and took out a carton of orange juice. "Light sensitivity."

Grandpa blinked. "Well, that's different." Shaking his head, Solomon continued his way. Yugi smiled a bit. After everything between Duelist Kingdom, his family had gotten used to weird things. …Even his mom.

Rummaging around the kitchen Yugi picked out a few things to eat, then sat down. Bringing the cup to his lips, Yugi was a bit surprised when Yami spoke.

//Yugi, what is that?//

Yugi blinked several times. /Orange juice./

That was another side effect – or whatever it was. Whatever had happened in that 24 hour span, there were holes in Yami's memory. He'd know a name but not what it looked like, or what it was used for, or who the person was. Long stretches of memory were suddenly _gone_ – Yami would know the beginning and the end, but nothing in the middle. Memories of talking to Joey cut off right in the middle of the conversation, like there was a blackout, or a hole, simply right in the middle of his memories. However, no memories that involved Yugi were lost. A memory that consisted of Yugi and the rest of the gang at a party had Yugi in clear vision, and the rest – blank.

Yami sighed. //Another hole, I suppose.//

/Geez, I can't believe you forgot what _orange juice_ was./

Yugi rolled his eyes and continued eating breakfast. …Considering that he'd survived a deadly disease, fought a magical battle, brought back his other self from the shadows, and was wearing sunglasses to breakfast, Yugi was taking life pretty well.

Then again, he'd had a lot of experience in weird and dangerous situations.

//Such is life when you deal with strange magical artifacts with spirits living inside them.//

/Hnnn,/ Yugi answered.

…Yep, everything was pretty low key.

_Riiiiiiingg!_

Yugi blinked at the telephone. And did nothing for a moment. Alright, so his brain wasn't quite functioning right, what'd you expect with an exotic virus that ate brains? Geez. Yugi picked up the phone.

"Hey, Moto residence. Who's speaking?"

"Ah, Yugi."

Yugi blinked again. Several times. And stared at the receiver. Okay, his brain was definitely not working right. He would've sworn that was Malik.

Dubiously Yugi spoke back. "Malik?"

"The one and only." Malik laughed a bit, and then cut himself off. This was no laughing matter. "Yugi, I have to warn you about something. I heard about…the Ebola thing. I don't think it was a freak accident. I think it was sent."

Yugi froze. "What?"

"Did you hear about the intern that died?"

"…Yes. He died while studying my…blood samples."

"Yeah, but I'll bet they didn't tell you this: He died with a message burned into his body. A message that read,

'_Cursed is every man who looks upon my creation. To see my secret is to die. He who looks shall be consumed by fire and ice. Terror shall seize him, for I am Apep's favored one._ _I claim this as my slave, my offering. I claim this as my revenge. Hail to the shadows_.'

"That's not all, Yugi. I got a note last week, sent to me with no return address. It read,

_'The Ravager shall strike again.  
Unfulfilled vengeance does not die so easily.  
It shall return when its incarnate bids it.  
Until then, let the black breath be unleashed.  
All hail the shadows.' _"

The words echoed in Yugi's mind as his face paled, hearing Bakura's haunting voice whispering those same words.

_//No…//_

Yugi's ears roared as his other self seethed in rage. _Bakura?_ The thief? Had it been him all this time, watching, waiting, _walking_ inside his aibou's mind? _Sent?_ This, the work of three thousand years, coming back by Bakura's command? The hidden Pharaoh struggled to control the shadows that writhed in fury.

Only when Yugi gasped as he felt his ears pop did Yami throttle his rage down.

//Aibou!//

/Shhh, Yami./ Yugi swallowed. /I'm fine. I understand you want his guts. But there must be some sort of explanation. Ryou…/

"…Yugi?" Malik spoke from the phone receiver. "You there?"

"Oh! Yeah, I'm here…just surprised."

"Sure, it's not everyday you get a homicidal manic wanting your blood," Malik drawled. "You have one of the most messed-up lives in the world, Yugi."

With an awkward snap things went back into relative normality. Yugi rolled his eyes and laughed weakly, pushing dark thoughts away for the moment.

**x x x x x**

He was called the Man Who Creates Death by those that served him.

And he was not pleased.

Though he sat in his darkened room, seething, he did not resort to epithets. Though the glass tube quivered in his slowly tightening grip, he did not – quite – fall over the edge of madness. He had trained and conditioned far too long to lose to emotions.

Though the glass tube did begin to crack. But just a little.

"So, Pharaoh."

Tapping the glass tube against the table, he spoke into the air.

"My pets have brought me the news. My congratulations. You have won, yet again. Another round in the game of life, in your favor."

The man smiled sardonically. "Yes, you truly are the King of Games, whether in the game of life or in games of death. Or even," he set down the glass tube, and shadows swirled around the opening, "in games of shadows."

Standing up, he faced eastward. "Fine then. Let us play one final game, Pharaoh. Let us play a game already predetermined by fate." The man laughed. A bitter laugh, strangely enough. "For you may be the King of Games, true, but I…I control the prize."

Sweeping a black coat on and flicking a hand outward, he stopped pacing around the room, sending the animals surrounding him to pull back in fear. He smiled.

_"So cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war…"_

**x x x x x**

Kaiba allowed himself one growl as he tapped away on his laptop.

He'd been stuck in that hospital for three days – one more than everyone else, barring Yugi. How in the world Joey Wheeler and the rest had been able to recover faster than him, even that Ryou kid…well, needless to say, Kaiba was a bit piqued.

Kaiba tried concentrating on his work. The media had been having a field week with KaibaCorp, linking Kaiba to everything from an illicit love affair, another attempted takeover, and aliens taking over his mind. If anything, their stories got worse the more connected he became to Yugi.

…Kaiba stopped typing at that thought. Connected? To Yugi?

Much as he'd like to deny it, Kaiba couldn't. He'd had one too many interactions with Yugi to dismiss it. The problem was, once he accepted that he was, after all, connected in some way to Yugi, that opened an even bigger can of worms. Like the priest thing.

…Oh no, not _that_ argument again. Kaiba shoved that thought far away. Resolutely Kaiba went back to work.

Mokuba cracked open the door. "Nii-sama? …Um, lunch."

Kaiba looked up. "Mokuba, you didn't have to bring me lunch. I have employees that can do that."

"Well yeah, but…today I wanted to." Mokuba stuck out his chin. "So here."

Kaiba looked at the lunch tray with slight distaste.

Mokuba smiled.

…Kaiba reached for the chopsticks.

Kaiba ate in silence, browsing information on his laptop as he did so. Mokuba just watched, glad to be in the company of his older brother. They did not need to talk, or rather, they did not need to edge around a potentially touchy subject.

Seto lowered his chopsticks. "What you heard from…them is true. I did go inside Yugi's mind." He paused. "A great deal of it is irrelevant."

Mokuba snorted. Seto narrowed his eyes a bit.

"Anything that involves you and Yugi is rarely 'irrelevant,' " Mokuba grinned. "I was there at Battle City, remember? I saw it all." His face became serious. "Something's bothering you, nii-sama."

A long stretch of silence. Seto thought long and hard on just what to reveal to his little brother. How much? All, or none? And just what? So much had happened in the twenty-four hour time span, so much of it strange and magical, that Seto did not know even _what_ he should say.

_Mokuba_, his mind whispered. _He _knows _you. He was there too, when Yugi started babbling about ancient pasts and priesthood. He was there, he _saw—

Seto Kaiba put down his bowl and chopsticks, setting them aside. Wordlessly their eyes met.

—and maybe he'll understand—

Seto Kaiba traced his fingers down the black table, making a mark of old…

—just who—

…And black shadows swirled.

_—I think I am._

**x x x x x**

Yugi sat on the roof, his arms wrapped around his legs, tightly hugging them to his chest. Tilting his head back he felt the sun's rays on his face. Though he may not be able to see clearly, he could still feel the sun's glorious, dimming rays. In the back of his mind, Yugi felt the spirit reveling in the feeling as well.

He'd done this on a whim. After so long in the hospital, and then being stuck inside, Yugi just wanted to get outside. The ledge right outside his window was perfect. Besides, he needed time to just…think. He rested his head against his knees.

So much had happened. Almost dying, learning newfound magic, dealing with irritated priests and dangerous thieves, a whole new realm of memories unleashed, a new possible threat – everything just seemed…surreal. Did all of this happen? Or was it a dream within a dream? Did it matter?

The others seemed to be doing fine. At least Joey, Tea and Tristan were having (relatively) normal lives. To them, it was just another strange event in their lives. Even Ryou was doing fine. According to him, the spirit of the Ring had been surprisingly quiet. Although that might be because of Ryou's father's presence. This time, at least, Ryou's father was going to stay longer than the weekend-long trips before. That was good.

As for Kaiba…Kaiba was a puzzle. Yugi hadn't had any contact with him ever since the day they woke up. Mokuba had come, though, asking about what had happened. Yugi told him a much abbreviated story, though Yugi left in a few things…like Kaiba's place as priest, and Kaiba's role in opening the seventh memory. Mokuba left a bit calmer after that.

But for himself? Yugi let out a huge sigh.

/It's all just too much./ Yugi answered Yami's unspoken question. /I don't know what to think./

//…Then perhaps it is best not to think at all.//

Yugi raised an eyebrow. /That's new, coming from you./

//There are some things that are written down, and others left to, as philosophers say, "free will,"// Yami said. He'd had a long time to think about this, ever since Malik's phone call. The tomb robber… no. Even if the tomb robber was still after him, and consequentially, Yugi, Yami would not let such thoughts plague his mind.

Yami smiled and mentally tapped Yugi's forehead. //Life is like a river – the course is set, but the current is ever changing. And we are a mere drop in the river, traveling our course, until we reach the ocean.//

/Death?/

//The end,// Yami corrected. //It's not the same.//

/It's not the same, when you're neither alive nor dead./ Yugi pointed out, and then smirked. /Kinda like you./

//Hey!//

Yugi closed his eyes. /I think I get what you're saying though, _mou hitori no boku_. Sometimes…we just have to live in the moment./

//Yes.//

Yugi uncurled his legs and leaned back, feeling the breeze rustle through his hair. So what? So what if there was someone after him? There was _always_ someone after him. It was enough to be _alive_, to feel the wind in his face, to see the blue in the sky, even if it was tinted gray through his sunglasses. They'd gotten through it all, and they'd get through the rest of life too, even if it was the strangest life on earth.

//Yugi?//

/Yeah?/

Yami smiled. //It's good to be alive.//

Yugi threw back his head and laughed. Yes, it was good to be alive.

* * *

**Author's End Notes:**

Toboe LoneWolf: …And that is the end of _Lethally Hot_.

Djanil: Oh cheers.

Toboe LoneWolf: …Yeah, the ending was really cheesy. Reaaaaallly cheesy. I can't write beginnings or endings; I've always known that, and this was no exception. The only thing I can write are middles, and even that is half-best because I keep adding threads until it's a tangled web of…stuff. For some reason I could not find a way to add much humor into this bit, oddly enough. It's so…sad. I've worked on this for three years now. It's my pride and joy, half-baked as it is, and it's sad to see it end. … But why am I all sad anyways? Two words: CAST PARTY!

Yami: Oh. No.

Toboe LoneWolf: (_evil grin_) Oh, _yes_. For behold! I bring you 'Toboe LoneWolf's Lair', my new webpage! Links, spoilers, art, explanations, it's all there! And if that isn't enough, I now also have a deviantart account! This currently has a pic of Bakura and the Ravager, and I plan on getting an Atem scene from LH too, once I (attempt) to color it. So yes…finally, a pic of the Ravager, even though it's with my have mediocre drawing ability. So go forth and explore! Links on bio-page.

I also want to add that due to fanfiction(dot)net policy of not replying to reviews, these have been removed from ff(dot)net and placed on my webpage. Review replies to last chapter are also on there. And, of course, the cast party. XD

And…dun dun dun…._there will be a sequel!_ Huzzah!

Yami: Oh joy.

Toboe LoneWolf: Yes, _Lethally Hot_ is over. Finale. Finished. But I have left one major thing out: who dunnit, and how? In all honesty, I never planned a sequel. But as I was writing this, I started wondering about it, and also found a kinda big plot hole. (_sheepish_) It'll probably span only 5 to 7 chapters. Very short. It won't tie in very much with _Lethally Hot_, as in I don't think it'll be crucial to read LH before the sequel…though it'll probably help. XD What I do plan, is to write the whole thing out before I start posting. As you're probably well aware, I take a long time to update. Now that I'm in college, it'll be even slower. This was supposed to only take one month…and well, you see, it didn't come out that way. And I really don't want to have three month breaks between chapters. So…I'll write it all up beforehand. I have bits and pieces, I just need to string them together. (_sweatdrop_) Along with a plot, eh-heh…XD In the meantime, I'll be posting up one-shots, short chapters as in Bible Stories or Guardian Angel (different fandom). Feel free to bug me via aim/e-mail. I feel lonely in college. XD

I do want to point out though, that _Lethally Hot_ will have ramifications in practically all of my YGO works. I like linking things together. So yes, although there will be a sequel, even now there are links to LH. And I'm not going to limit it to only YGO, either…I'm planning also to link LH to whole different fandoms. (Plural, hah. XD) Not a crossover, but…yes, linkages. Because diseases are universal.

In the meantime, watch out for the sequel, called:

_Eye of the Cobra_: Yugi survived the first attack. That made someone really mad. That someone's decided to unleash Plan B: Biological Meltdown. Somehow Yugi has to stop it before everyone he knows is wiped out…

(_waves_) So there you have it. I hope that you readers enjoyed reading _Lethally Hot_ as I have writing it, through the pain, sweat, lack of sleep; the bumps and awkward phrasing; the fifty-billion plot attempts I did, and enjoyed the three year endeavor I made melding science and magic. A huge thank you to you all, for those that stuck it out with me. …So, is there more to be said? Of course there is. Writing never ends.

So for the last time, please review and make a little Ravie plushie and lonely wolf happy.

Ravie: Kwee?


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